Teachers are embittered by the government’s attitude and its lack of willingness to remedy the difficult situation in education. And they have enormous support from outside. At Primary School No. 5, the teachers were supported by the Student Council. The children prepared a sign that they hung in the windows: “Students support the teachers’ strike.” The young people decided on this at a council meeting. The most important thing for the teachers is that this is not at all about days off from school: the children declared that they simply like their teachers and want them to have better working conditions and better pay. Parents and grandparents are very supportive, and there are also employers who are taking a flexible approach to the working hours of some employees because they need to care for their children during the strike.
Katarzyna Reguła, the school’s principal, speaks about how important this support is for the striking teachers.
– The parents support us, and the grandparents are organizing themselves into groups to look after the children, but the Student Council surprised us the most, says Katarzyna Reguła. – On Friday they held a meeting and conducted a survey among the students: “Are you in favor of the teachers’ strike? What do you think about it?” Everyone said that they supported the strike, but it is not about having a period free from lessons. It is because they love their teachers, and teachers should earn more and be appreciated. They put up a sign for us, and it gives us such strength. We are truly grateful, the principal adds.
Only ten students came to the school at Dolne Młyny on Monday. As usual, the school will remain open until 4:00 p.m. as a school common room, and the teachers will stay there until the time when they would normally have classes. The children who came were well cared for. Teachers who had not declared their intention to participate in the strike are there for the children. There are seven supervisors at the school.
The principal also says that middle-school students and eighth-graders should study for their exams because the exams will take place.