Parents as strike breakers

Everybody has been to school so anyone can teach, is a feeling prevalent among the more stupid in our society. The squit Gove is a fine example of someone who is reputedly quite bright but who makes stupid errors. Like many Ministers he is arrogant and is hell bent on forcing his agenda through.

He appears determined to inflict the education he had on the nation’s children. Rather than looking backwards to the last century our education system should be enabling children to thrive and flourish in the modern world. A world that is changing incredibly quickly. A world where standing up for yourself takes many forms and requires guts and good communication skills. A world where unchecked and insatiable greed has produced inequality and unfairness on a peace-shattering scale. 

Gove’s latest wheeze is a doozy. Parents should keep schools open on Thursday. Forget child protection issues, Forget planning. Forget ability. Forget about learning objectives. Forget the impact of such an action on the relationships within and without the school community. And forget about what an invidious position it puts non-striking headteachers in. 

One of the rights on the UN Charter of Human Rights is the right to withdraw your labour. It is a right which when used by emerging nations struggling to overthrow tyrannical leaders is applauded by our mealy-mouthed political class. Fine for the third world - do not do it here. That seems to be the message put out by a compliant and collusive media. Does anyone believe that Rupert Murdoch, the Barclay brothers and Dirty Desmond are champions of union rights? Hmm, thought not.

Several members of the commentariat write that striking is just so passe, as though they were assessing fashion accessories. They moan, whinge and wail but are remarkably lacking in alternative legal strategies to get the message across. It is not a move that people take lightly. It costs money and is unsettling in so many ways. The ATL teacher’s union has never been on strike in 125 years. Does that not mean anything to squitty Gove? Why are the most moderate and pacific teachers prepared to strike?

Because what they are being asked to do stinks.