THERE ARE claims that teachers recruited from Jamaica are being paid thousands of pounds less than equivalent locally trained United Kingdom teachers. They have been labeled as unqualified since their studies were taken overseas.
There are only two real possibilities here – they are qualified teachers and should get the same pay or they are not qualified and thus should not be teaching.
The use of unqualified teachers only further shows how much of a crisis there is in the teaching profession.
The shortage of teachers, actual qualified teachers, seems to be a worldwide problem. This appears to be mirrored in other service occupations, nurses, police and even shockingly, baristas.
A simple first step would be to pay people what they deserve and a second step would be to let them do their job, not drown them in administrivia.
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West Wing memories
It’s 25 years since the West Wing TV series appeared on our small screens, showing an idealist presidency that, like The Brady Bunch, could solve problems within a single episode. There were a few earth-shattering events that needed two episodes but most problems were resolved easily.
The world that I now see on my TV is so broken, so corrupt, so personality-based and so many are lost, but there is still hope; there are still some leaders of character and good intent with voices we must hear.
What we want is for the real to be as good as the imaginary.
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Read the book first
Children should be encouraged and free to read books and newspapers although it may be too late for the newspapers.
There is, however, a number – over 10,000 that are banned from US schools. But why?
There are a few books that should be banned, those that involve content or activities that are themselves illegal but that shouldn’t include stories of families that have different combinations than the simple male/female parents and similar stories.
The enthusiasm for blindly banning books was tested by a father who tried and succeeded in getting the Bible banned from his child’s school. It does contain some scenes of violence.
Parents should read with their children and provide guidance as needed.
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Farewell Tupperware
So no more Tupperware, another familiar childhood memory is fading. There are a few pieces in the cupboard, not used as often now with reliable refrigeration and the almost instant availability of most food.
It has gone the way of Blockbuster videos and Borders book stores, once very successful but staying the same when the world moved on.
The other, seemingly unmentioned, reason for its demise was its quality. A well-made product that is still usable and therefore doesn’t need to be replaced every few years. Very few other products will last the distance as planned obsolescence becomes so common.
Vale Tupperware and your parties. (dennis.fitzgerald.letters@gmail.com)/PN
