What does the strike teach our kids… that adults can act like children?
by Laura Allmayer, co-founder of Journey2Joy, mom to two little people, compulsive blogger and twitter addict. When she’s not blogging she’s planning baby showers and helping moms prepare for their new babies.
Earlier on today I heard a government spokesman say that schools are urged to sacrifice the September holidays to catch up!
I nearly crashed my car I was so outraged at the audacity of this!
Our children are being intimidated, abused and hauled out of their classrooms and the good old government seems to be doing the bare minimum to protect these children! But they want the CHILDREN to sacrifice their holidays to make up time lost due to decisions made by UNIONS!
Seriously I have a good mind to open water hoses on dear JZ and his gang of merry men!
What lesson are our children being taught by this strike? That when things don’t go their own way they can throw a tantrum, hurt people and it’s ok! That they do not need to consider the big picture and look at how things affect the world at large?
Aren’t these the things we, as parents, try and teach them NOT to do? Don’t we teach them that it is unacceptable to throw a tantrum or punch their sister when they don’t get their own way? Don’t we try and teach them about consequence and how their actions affect others?
I don’t doubt there are government employees who should earn more but then I know of private sector employees who are paid barely minimum wage. We all could do with more but we all don’t fight, destroy and spread destruction.
Something that also fascinates me is that all these people hell bent on fighting the government, all voted for the very self same government and will do so again when next we vote.
I don’t agree with violence. Ever. It solves nothing.
However, I do agree with the strike. I have and will be striking. However, I will not be using violent means to get my point across.
Striking should teach our kids to stand up and be counted, to stand up for truth, so that evil doesn’t flourish. But I don’t agree with the methods used by colleagues elsewhere in the country.
The problem is that the state has lied to us – made us promises, then not just failed to deliver but actually lied and said they never made those promises. When their signature appears on the bottom of the document, they deny it’s theirs. They treat their employees differently based on which medical aid scheme they chose to join – which is completely unethical – paying some more than others. The list goes on.
This strike is NOT just about money – it’s about principles and the bigger picture. The media has chosen to focus on the money because that makes for better stories – front page splash.
But whatever the issues are, violence is not okay. It saddens me deeply that my colleagues believe it is. That too is a legacy from Apartheid, one we will have to work hard to eradicate.
But violence or no, the strike is valid, with a valid cause, and it would be nice to hear others outside the profession support us for a change. I challenge anyone who thinks that teachers have it easy to live our lives for a week – to come and live in our homes for a week and shadow us, manage our classes, the marking load, the preparation load, the sport/ extra-curricular load – and do it all on the salary we earn. Maybe then you’d have a bit more sympathy for us.
My mother is a teacher – she has been her whole life so I know the challenges she faces daily!
That said her responsibility is to the children she CHOSE to teach. Just like a nurse has a responsibility to the patients she CHOSE to nurse!
The government lies to us daily – its a part of life and reality of governments! Forcing innocent people to suffer to make a point is NOT ok!
THREE babies have died as a result of the strike – if it had been peaceful this would still have happened! That, in my book, is totally and utterly unaceptable – imagine it was your baby lying dead in a hospital somewhere?
I understand the need for strike action and support it if it is done rationally and without physically harming, in ANY way innocent people!
NO strike is ever valid. How does that teach anyone, especially children to stand up for their rights?It does show that it is OK to down tools and let go of your responsibilities!!!And to get violent – whether you agree with the violence or not – it is PART OF YOUR STRIKE.The only evil is the strike itself (whether in the public sector or any other strike action!).
You chose what you want to do.Yes teachers, or nurses or whomever might not have it easy but believe me I sit here night after night and see how my husband (who is in the private sector) slaves himself away for a big international company, who pays him LESS that the minimum salary for a teacher – this with 20years experience in his field!With NO increase in 4 years – ‘due to the economic climate’
BE GLAD YOU HAVE A PAID JOB!!!!SO many lost their jobs when the recession hit,who still can’t find employement,others in the private sector who must be happy with NO increase at all!!! At least an increase is offered above 7% AND housing allowance – consider yourself fortunate!
If we were a God fearing country NONE of this would have happened!
I do believe in the strike to a certain extent. Yes, it is sad our government does not listen to our workers and force them to take drastic actions such as this. If you were waiting since April and still no resolution you would also be frustrated. On the other hand if I were in labour or my kids were ill and I would be prevented from entering a hospital to gain medical care and would be prevented than I am sure I would be raging at the strikers. The problem in South Africa is we have rowdy people who use strikes for their own personal agendas and corrupt the reason for the strike. Violence and intimidation bring down the integrity of the strike. I live in the South Western region of Gauteng and kids in private schools (as well as educators) are being threatened by uncouth strikers. According to our children’s charter of rights our children have a right to education what happens to this basic right? I am extremely angry right now as my children have been evacuated from the private school due to strikers from a nearby township. Do these strikers honestly believe the government is going to fall down at their knees because three private religious schools in the area are open? Do you honestly think beating up innocent kids that are 12 and 13 years olds is going to help your strike. It’s tough that my children are taught emergency procedures about what to do if a mob attacks the school. When the inhabitants of nearby squatter camps protest about service delivery guess who bears the brunt. Our cars are stoned, our water and electricity illegally cut off and our kids are threatened with violence. And this is the South Africa that I spent endless hours fighting for. All the times my parents were jailed for this. Come on government stops using our money to fund your lavish lifestyles and give it to those who deserve it!