Anti-democratic - Teachers’ strike

Two teacher unions closed Ireland’s second-level schools yesterday because they don’t approve of how their employer, our democratically elected Government, has decided to reform our education system. 

This anti-democratic disapproval has been stretched to the point that they are refusing to talk to their employer about the matter unless the core idea of the reform — that teachers mark 40% of their students’ junior certificate examinations — is taken off the table.

Can it really be possible that teacher unions, those entrusted with a large degree of influence over our young people, imagine it is tolerable that they should so involve themselves in policymaking? Like all advocates on public policy, they are free to advise but Government must decide and ours has decided. That is the way democracy works.

Of course they must be given the resources needed to implement change — an issue the minister recognised — but the bullyboy tantrum thrown yesterday do the individuals or the organisations involved no credit. Let us hope sense prevails before the date scheduled for the next strike.