Sir, - Your Education Editor, Sean Flynn, asked (The Irish Times, November 13th) if teachers would accept private-sector practices and conditions in return for private-sector pay. This mode of analysis is consistently used by many commentators on the teachers' pay claim.
As teachers and educators we must emphasise that the rationale of industrial production is totally inappropriate to education. The language of inputs and outputs is not the language of education. Real education is a living process involving an entire school community including students, parents, teachers and management.
During the many years of State neglect and grossly inadequate resources, the real and enduring legacy of the religious in Irish education was the Christian ethos of caring and sharing. Lay teachers in all the teaching unions and parents have maintained this ethos of voluntary service in our schools. As teachers we greatly appreciate the voluntary service of parents and parent associations. Irish teachers maintain excellent professional standards. We have a real sense of duty to our students, fairness to the parents, loyalty to the school and respect for each individual in the school community.
Years of scant resources and unpaid voluntary activities have left teachers naive about implementing fundamental changes without monetary compensation. The loss of teacher's good will and morale will destroy the voluntary culture in our schools which will in turn cost the educational process far more than the current pay claim. All teachers know that this pay dispute is about professional survival.
Your Editorial of the same day, like many Government and other commentators, focused on the temerity of the ASTI in pursuing its claim outside the PPF. The ASTI recognised at a very early stage that the PPF meant the Programme for Professional Failure, a straightjacket of social engineering. It was not an easy decision to opt out, but it was our legal right.
The PPF seems to have assumed Stalinist proportions. It was very disappointing to hear trade union leaders whom I respected supporting it. Many groups in society have negotiated and will negotiate outside the PPF without Government rebuke. The teachers vote too and make a full contribution as citizens of this republic. Our pay claim deserves the support of all teachers and all citizens, including the Government. - Yours, etc.,
Joe Moran, Ballydavid, Littleton, Thurles, Co Tipperary.