Groups representing parents have
released a joint statement in support of members of the National
Education Union (NEU) taking strike action today (1
February).
The statement – signed by the parental
organisations Save Our Schools, Rescue Our Schools, Let Our Kids
Be Kids, Special Needs Jungle and Square Peg – makes clear
that parents support teachers in their demand for fair
pay.
The groups say they share the concerns
of educators that children’s education is being harmed because of
a lack of qualified teachers and turnover of staff,
and calls on the Government to engage with the National
Education Union, to negotiate a settlement and avoid the
industrial action.
Kevin Courtney, Joint General
Secretary of the National Education
Union,
said:
“Taking strike action is very much a
last resort for our members. They do so with a heavy heart
because they cannot stand by and watch their pupils not receiving
the education they deserve.
“Parents know from first-hand
experience that children are losing out because of the chronic
shortage of teachers. Often pupils are being taught by short-term
supply, or staff who aren’t qualified in the subject they’re
teaching.
“Knowing that parents and members of
the community support them taking a stand to Save Our Schools
will give educators huge confidence in taking this action,
not just for fair pay, but in defence of children’s
education.”
The full statement is
below:
As groups representing parents, we
support members of the National Education Union (NEU) in their
Pay up! Save Our Schools campaign. We share their concerns about
the impact of years of underfunding and urge Government to come
to a settlement with teachers.
Our children are losing out because
there are not enough teachers. Increasingly those that are in the
classroom are not qualified in the subject they are teaching.
Special needs support assistants are leaving their jobs for
better paid work elsewhere. Lack of qualified teachers and
turnover of staff harms the education children and young people
receive and particularly impacts on children with Special
Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The current situation
cannot continue.
Without a fair pay rise for teachers
and sufficient funding for schools, recruitment and retention
issues will not be resolved and schools and colleges will
continue to struggle to find, train and keep talented and capable
educators.
This campaign is backed by parents:
polls conducted in recent weeks illustrate the scale of support
for teaching staff in their campaign to protect our children’s
education.
We applaud educators for taking such a
strong stand, while understanding that they do not want to be on
strike. They want to be in the classroom, doing what they do best
– teaching and supporting our children and young people. Striking
is a last resort.
So, we ask Government ministers – if
they really do care about children’s education – to engage with
the National Education Union, to negotiate a settlement and avoid
this action.
It is time for ministers to
demonstrate that they truly value our schools and those who work
in education. It’s time for them to show that they truly care
about the life chances of our
children.
