I hear what you're saying and have to agree with you but don't you think life iin general is very

Effinbankers

laissez-faire

today in most of life? The way things were 10 years and more ago (folk living way beyond their means, borrowing far too much etc...etc...) there was bound to be a crash of some sort and it has to be dealt with for the sake of the future generation(s). We were living in easy street and the younger generation were mainly privilidged kids, wanting for nothing. We (teachers) have taken in effect a 25% wage cut, what with the increased pension contributions and the pay freeze - any other profession put up with that? Thing is most (nearly most!) of the teachers I know have the interests of their pupils as their priority and if they do well in exams that's a badge of pride we can wear (without bragging about it) and feel job satisfaction.

I think what I'm trying to say is that so long as each teacher does their teaching well, reaches wee Jenni who struggles and stretches wee Jimmi who is gifted what more can we do? CfE can produce a million glossy green gold-encrusted folders but teaching well will always be our pride and joy.

(I think I know what I'm getting at - bit philisophical for a Tuesday morning - too much "Silent Witness" last night!!)

Hope everyone has a nice day

                           

socrates82

The SNP's backtrack on class sizes was really disappointing though

Yeah, that pretty much did it for my support for them. I really thought the SNP would be different. Sheesh. The more fool me.

Effinbankers

The SNP's backtrack on class sizes was really disappointing though.

Maybe disappointing, but not surprising. The reason that none of the other parties supported it wholeheartedly wasn't because they didn't agree with it, but that they realised that the costs would be far too high to go too quickly, even in 2007 - the SNP genuinely didn't realise that in many, if not most, schools an increase in the number of teachers and classes would need an increase in the number of classrooms and the ensuing building costs.

An example, perhaps, of a policy whose heart was in the right place but introducing it was stopped by spotting the unintended consequences.

amysdad

the SNP genuinely didn't realise that in many, if not most, schools an increase in the number of teachers and classes would need an increase in the number of classrooms and the ensuing building costs.

I have my doubts. I see their promise to lower class sizes as a well calculated ploy to gain votes . . . . .a promise they never had any real intention of following through on.

As to voting tomorrow; there is no party I wish to vote for. A 'none of the above' option on the ballot paper is perhaps required . . . . though apparently a spoiled ballot paper is still recognised as 'turnout'.

 

kibosh

amysdad

the SNP genuinely didn't realise that in many, if not most, schools an increase in the number of teachers and classes would need an increase in the number of classrooms and the ensuing building costs.

I have my doubts. I see their promise to lower class sizes as a well calculated ploy to gain votes . . . . .a promise they never had any real intention of following through on.

 

 

Exactly, much like the promise to write off student debts which helped get them into minority government in 2007.  We don't need policies which demonstrate their heart is in the right place.  They are meaningless if they haven't first done the sums to make sure it'll work.  Free prescriptions for all and council tax freeze sound great to many voters but we public sector workers know how they're partly affording it!

 Will vote Green and SNP. Have never voted Labour since I was wee and my local Labour councillor in a mining village was an Orange Order bigot. More recently, I've read yon deposed ex-education minister in the Scotsman - name escapes at the mo (and what does that tell you about dynamic radical Labour?) - who recently said that teachers were partly to blame for the 'failure' of McCrone as they 'took the money without delivering'.

 Also noticed Labour uniting with the Tories in Stirling to deliver tax cuts. Like that will save jobs and services...