Teachers asked to show solidarity with jobless parents

The Government today called on teachers and unions to show solidarity with parents who have lost their jobs in the recession.

The plea came from the Department of Education as thousands of second level teachers were ordered to abandon their posts if student numbers breached union class size limits.

The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) also told members not to hold parent or staff meetings outside school hours and limit cooperation with inspections.

A spokesman for the Education Department said the TUI’s call was disappointing.

“The department is concerned that, at a time of real difficulty for the country, a union would direct its members under threat of disciplinary action to frustrate the efforts of schools to deliver from within their resources the best possible education to our children,” he said.

“We’d urge the TUI, and indeed all other unions in the education sector, to work with us in a spirit of cooperation and in solidarity with those people, including many parents, who’ve lost their jobs in this recession.”

It is understood teachers would be in breach of their contract with Government under the Benchmarking Agreement and face having their pay docked if they follow union orders.

However, in a letter to post primary teachers, the TUI warned they will be disciplined if they do not follow the union’s instructions.

The TUI said schools would have a week to cut class sizes before teachers refuse to teach those classes.

“If the issue is not resolved within the week in question, the member should withdraw from the class, leaving the class in a safe place and advise the principal that the class is now the sole responsibility of the principal,” the letter stated.

However the TUI later maintained teachers were not instructed to walk out of classes or to leave students unattended.

“This would be wrong, unprofessional and irresponsible,” it said in a statement.

TUI, and the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI), re-issued existing directives stating there should be a maximum 30 students for general subjects, 24 for practical subjects and 20 for home economics.

It said it has followed the Department of Education guidelines and has, through carefully worked out procedures, advised teachers on the implementation of these.

“This is done for the protection of the education quality in the teacher’s own classroom,” added the TUI.

“The union is adopting a highly responsible course of action designed to protect the education quality for the students.

“In this time of cutbacks, many teachers are going beyond the normal call of duty. However TUI members will not allow the educational standards in their individual classes to be compromised.”

The IVEA, which represents vocational educational committees, said it was dismayed at the directive and called for both sides to enter talks.

General Secretary Michael Moriarty said the guideline places the school principal in a very difficult position.

“While IVEA will monitor this situation throughout our 250 VEC schools, we hope that schools will not become a battleground,” he added.

“To deal with this hugely problematic situation there needs to be open communication and cooperation.”