When Bowman MP Andrew Laming last week posted a controversial comment on social media about teachers, the response from the teaching fraternity was swift and strong.
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The comment, which questioned whether teachers were back at work or “‘lesson planning’ from home” has since been deleted from his Facebook page.
One teacher, who told Redland City Bulletin she would have liked to see Mr Laming publicly admit he had “said the wrong thing”, criticised the MP for perpetuating a stereotype about teachers not doing a full day’s work.
Nothing, however, could be further from the truth. A school teacher’s day involves long hours of work, lunchtime and before and after school sessions helping students who need extra assistance, managing difficult behaviours, speaking with parents about their child’s behaviour or progress, attending school sports carnivals on weekends, preparing lessons, and so much more.
A quick check of any staff car park in any school across the Redlands alone reveals that our teachers work well beyond 9am to 3pm. Many teachers, who have little or no classroom budget, also spend their own money on buying food or books for students whose parents cannot afford to.
Most state school, and some private school, teachers also do not have the luxury of working in air conditioning. In summer, they carry out their work, which involves higher-level thinking, in steaming classrooms and in winter, they rug up and get on with the job.
Mr Laming told Redland City Bulletin this week his question was “deliberately prevocative” and guaranteed there would be more controversial questions to come.
In this instance, the controversial question caused offence to a group of highly educated people who refused to remain silent.
Australia has many excellent teachers who go above and beyond the requirements of their role.
Judging by the vast number of academic, cultural and sports awards that were handed out in schools as the 2016 school year came to an end, our teachers are clearly doing a fine job in helping to guide tomorrow’s adults.
Despite what a politician who is known for making controversial statements says, Redland City Bulletin gives every one of them a well deserved nod of respect.
