Sir, - Now that the ASTI has decided to change from conflict politics to persuasion, let us all row in behind it and lobby our political representatives for its justifiable pay claim. Having seen four children through the educational system in this country, which encompassed all three teachers' unions, I know the unbelievable dedication of teachers to their work.
It may be a permanent and pensionable job, but how many people in other industries would be prepared to spend their evenings listening to other people's teenagers singing at some competition or working and rehearsing with them during their holidays in order to perform a play or school musical?
What about standing in the cold and wet cheering their school team to victory on the rugby, hockey or GAA pitch - not to mention the weekends away on trips when inevitably some child gets sick and has to be minded in a hotel or hostel bedroom? Or the nightmare scenario when a child has to be taken to hospital in the middle of the night. All of these tasks teachers do for our children.
It is now time for us parents to support all the teachers in their claim for a decent wage. It is not good enough to use the downturn in the economy to halt such a rise. Had it been granted when it should have been, during the past few years, all the agony of last year could have been avoided.
I hope the media, which represented the fears of parents and children during the school closures last year, will now use their influence to push the Government into recognising the very real necessity for a substantial pay rise for our teachers to show how their work is very much appreciated by everybody and to show those in the unions that conflict politics is no longer the way of doing business. - Yours, etc.,
Sheila McLoughlin, Gowrie Park, Glenageary, Co Dublin.