Give teachers due respect
published: Friday | February 7, 2003
THE EDITOR, Sir:
ON FRIDAY, January 3, 2003, I watched the day's coverage of the Kingston and St. Andrew chapter of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) meeting on CVM television with disappointment, disgust and deep sorrow. A female teacher's crass behaviour dominated the report much to my chagrin.
I would like to use this medium to inform the wider society that this young woman does not epitomise the majority of the members of this noble profession. The behaviour of most teachers is still worthy of emulation, commands respect, and depicts intelligence and dignity.
On the other hand, the political powers over the years have always shown scant regard for us, teachers, who are the backbone of any modern society that wishes to advance, compete and survive in the 'global village'. After researching continually, setting assignments, marking scripts until the wee hours of the morning, working in the day and studying in the evenings and nights so as to improve our pedagogical skills and knowledge base, mothering and fathering many who are biologically unrelated, ignoring our spouses, children and all other dependents in the interest of nation-building, we are repaid thus: pitiful remuneration, miniscule recognition or non-recognition of those who obtain higher degrees, poor working conditions and inflammatory statements.
While my colleagues and I abhor crass behaviour, we stand firmly behind "strike now" and "away we go to the lands of opportunity" if we cannot be appropriately recognised.
Teachers also need to live in their own houses, drive a car, travel overseas so that they can become more knowledgeable and live a socially respectable life a life that can only be achieved legally through appropriate remuneration. Are we asking for too much?
