The following letter appears on p7 of Portsmouth (Hampshire) "News" dated 
Monday May 5.

It appears in its entirety: please cc any replies to letters@thenews.co.uk - 
I am sure that there are more than a few subscribers to this group capable 
of composing suitable replies!

I am not a teacher; but my wife is - she spent two of the three days "off" 
this Bank Holiday weekend in school, and the Sunday working at home on 
school work....

Here is the letter
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TEACHERS' PAY

So the teachers have now jumped on the bandwagon to strike for more pay.

It's a wonder they did not include more holidays just to put the topping on 
the cake.

The 2008 Main Pay Scale 1-6 for teachers ranges from £20,627 to £30,148 
pa(£390 - £579 per week) as published on the NUT website.

This is based on 52 weeks but do they work 52 weeks, they certainly do not.

If you take into consideration school holidays and teacher-training days it 
is a wonder if they are ever at school.

Why do they make it a teacher-training day the day after the children return 
from aterm break?

No doubt there are perks with the job, health care, pension schemes, 
clothing allowances etc to bump up their so-called poor wages!

We are all in the same boat, short of money because of increases across the 
board, it is a pitty us poor old pensioners cannot go on strike, but like 
the rest of them we have to bear it.

I have no sympathy for the teachers, why don't they get on with the job and 
stop whingeing and look at others who cannot strike to get a so-called fair 
wage.

My suggestion to the so-called teachers is to find another job that pays as 
well, with 12-plus weeks paid holiday thrown in.

Rob Guyatt
Thrush Walk
Waterlooville
(via e-mail)
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Quite a diatribe!  But I leave it to those of you blessed with a better way 
with words than me, to reply!

Ian D Henden wrote:
> 
Quote:
> 
> This is based on 52 weeks but do they work 52 weeks, they certainly do not.
> 
> If you take into consideration school holidays and teacher-training days it
> is a wonder if they are ever at school.

Ian D Henden:
> 
> Quite a diatribe!  But I leave it to those of you blessed with a better way
> with words than me, to reply!

What's wrong with it?  Well, I can see one thing (the bit I didn't
snip): the writer assumes that school holidays are teacher holidays. 
One might guess (and the naive might assume) that a considerable amount
of the school holiday is spent on preparation for the coming term or
session.

You really shouldn't ask other people to reply on your behalf,
especially since you don't even hint at _what_ you want said in a reply.

-- 
He is not here; but far away
  The noise of life begins again
  And ghastly thro' the drizzling rain
On the bald street breaks the blank day.