This excellent letter has been sent to a Headteacher of a Lewisham primary school in response to news that (as across Lewisham and beyond), NUT members will be on strike on Wednesday:
"Thank you for the letter re the NUT industrial action on the 26th March and it's impact on the school.
Please do not feel the need to apologise for any inconvenience, as we fully appreciate the reasons why the teaching staff are striking to defend quality education and their terms and conditions.
As parents we understood the two issues are completely connected and have no problem at all fully supporting the action of the teachers recognising the excellent work they do all year around.
We appreciate as well, the dilemma of some staff being in the ATL union and on a personal level we would urge them to join the NUT too so they can fully participate in the industrial action, but that is of course their choice.
However as parents we are not prepared to undermine the sacrifice that other teaching staff are making in their stand on the 26th at the school and elsewhere. Additionally we are not satisfied that a partially opened school is fully health and safety compliant.
We are therefore putting our children first before any political pressures from the town hall to keep any unsafe school open with inadequate staffing numbers.
Besides we believe for our children that the day of action will in itself be a fantastic educational opportunity to see their teachers, their mentors, engaged in an inter generational act of solidarity that protects the principles of free education and the living standards of all teaching staff.
When our children ask why this is all happening we will happily explain to them. That's why our kids will all grow up being socially aware, politically conscious human beings and appreciate their collective power to change things for the better in society.
After all that's what a good education should be for too shouldn't it?"
Chris and Judith Flood
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