Steve Kirkpatrick, Deputy Head teacher
I have been asked time and time again over the last few weeks about why as a school leader I have taken the decision to strike. I'm told that if I have the children's best intentions at heart, then why am I disrupting children's education? It was not a decision I took lightly.
Today's strike was not about my personal financial future, it was about our children and our children's future.
It is my firm belief that the decisions that are currently being made by the government are damaging the future educational prospects of the children of this country.
All children need to have access to the best head teachers, teachers and learning support assistants. The current erosion of pensions will, in my view, only deter the very best quality candidates entering the profession, particularly in the most challenging schools where their help is needed most to support children and families. The deal is simple, 'give your time and energy into looking after other people now and you will be looked after when you retire.'
However a school is not just made up of teaching staff, but also of office staff, welfare staff and a whole host of other lower paid public sector workers who contribute massively to children's futures, they are being hit hard. Today was about protecting them too.
Children have an incredible sense of fairness. If they can understand it's not fair to ask people to pay more, work longer and get less, then why can't the current government?
http://www.totalpolitics.com/blog/277942/why-did-i-take-strike-action.thtml
Page Published: 01/12/2011
