ASTI president slams parents and pupils

The president of the ASTI says whatever decisions teachers take in their ballot on the Labour Court package, the campaign for better pay will continue.

In a speech to delegates at the annual convention in Galway, Don McCloskey also criticised the role of parents in the pay dispute.

He criticised the language of abuse that was used by some parents during the height of the strike referring to the representative of the parents’ council who likened teachers to terrorists.

He now believes parents should be called to account when their children disturb classes.

Pupils too came under the spotlight.

Mr McCloskey said their aggressive counter strikes show the public what teachers have to put up with on a daily basis.