South Australian Teachers' Struggles
(c) Melina Magdalena (2008)
Comment posted to AdelaideNow (22/11/08)
After putting in a full day's work at my school (and despite the lack of students, there is ALWAYS plenty to be done at school), I was at the 4pm rally on the steps of Parliament House last night, together with hundreds of other angry teachers and school staff.
We were there to express our utter indignation and outrage at the State Government's bullying, strong arm tactics.
Rann, Caica, Foley, Lomax-Smith - these are the "culprits" responsible for yesterday's chaos and empty classrooms. Their behaviour is unconscionable. While the
Australian Education Union attempts to use the legitimate processes of lobbying and negotiation, the State Government of South Australia refuses to engage. The government's stubborn, arrogant refusal to meet the AEU and show some respect for South Australia's Public School Sector produced yesterday's chaos.
As well as refusing to negotiate, the State Government has lied, reneged on agreements and proposals and now removed our right to protest at their high-handed behaviour.
I love my job, and I love what I do. I won't compromise my professionalism by allowing this process to impede my work. But I will go to the steps of Parliament House in my own time for as long as it takes for Rann, Caica, Foley, Lomax-Smith to be stood down from office and face the discordant music of the havoc they have chosen to wreak upon South Australian families. I am ashamed to have voted Labor with the thought that Labor would be good for public education.
South Australia's politicians are the highest paid state government politicians in the nation.
South Australia's teachers are the lowest paid teachers in the nation.
Melina Magdalena
