By R. M. Welch
Friday, July 15, 2011
LETTERS From R. M. Welch, Shanklin: I notice that once again Cliff Bennett ( July 8th) has found an opportunity to vent his spleen against teachers, even though the main point of his letter was nothing to do with teachers, but simply the economic situation of our country.He takes pleasure in his usual vitriolic rant about teacher's holidays, making rash statements without checking his facts, but belabouring the teachers because they have "seven weeks' paid leave." Teachers get seven weeks holiday he intimates. They don't Mr. Bennett ,because part of that holiday is taken up by in service training.The rest of the holiday is to recover as best they can from the stress of their job. I can tell him that I taught at a school where 5 members of staff were retired early because of stress related illnesses, one of whom died at the age of 54, and another 5 were being treated for stress. That is just one reason why they need holidays.Then Mr B. comes to his main grievance. It is that he has to shoulder, on his own, "the burden of the nation's debt" and does he suggest that this is because the teachers decide to take a day's strike action? He doesn't take into account the rest of us millions of people who are also shouldering the burden.Gradually the plot unfolds and it appears that all the trades unionists are to blame. I think that if he goes into the problem he will find that successive governments have probably had something to do with our present dire situation. Perhaps he might like to take up the cudgels with the EU.I was a regular Army officer, and a teacher for 40 years here on this island. I am also very proud to be English. Come on Mr. Bennett. If you are going to castigate teachers for taking a one day action, make sure that you at least quote the correct reason for them so doing, if you know what it is. You obviously don't in this case. If you are in such despair, make sure you contact the correct "forces from within," perhaps a government representative, or even the Prime Minister himself. Whatever, get off the teachers backs.
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