Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest

Reasons to go on strike.

I'm a good teacher, not outstanding, not bad, but good.  I enjoy my job, and I work very hard.  My little band of happy three year olds are doing very well, thanks, and I often go the extra mile or so. I'm contracted to do about 20 hours a week, but generally end up doing at least 25.  It doesn't sound much, particularly when you hear that the average for a full time primary school teacher is a 60 hour week, but I am part time for two very good reasons, and it's only because the children are in nearly full time education that I can do the hours I do.  Last year was far more stressful, as I could only work extra hours after school; at least now I can go in early and work in the staff room.

If you really want your children to be at school for 50 weeks a year, because that is more convenient for you, take a long hard look at yourself. 

If you think that the main purpose of school is to be free childcare, remember that we are parents too, we have lives outside our work, and we have childcare problems too.

If you seriously believe that teachers start at 5 to 9, finish at 3 and have 13 weeks of freedom a year, grow up.

If you believe that those who can do, those who can't teach, we can never be friends.

If you don't yet realise that childhood is short and precious, and shouldn't be spent entirely at school, learn this.

If you believe that teachers are solely responsible for your child's education, look at what you've learned in your life.  How much of that happened between the ages 5 and 18?  

It doesn't fit the pattern, but I've found that the parents most likely to complain about the inconvenience of a strike day are also the ones most likely to withdraw their child for holidays during term time.  Apparently, that's not disruptive.

It's not a race to the bottom.  It's not a crap jobs competition.  Our education system is being constantly undermined by someone whose main qualification for the job appears to be "I went to school."  A private style system is a great idea, but there's a reason that that costs 10 grand a year.  

I won't go on.  I will strike again; regretfully, it seems to be the only way to be heard, even if it damages the thing we are trying so very hard to protect.