Shropshire and Mid Wales schools hit by teachers' strike
Schools across Shropshire and Mid Wales today faced chaos as national strikes caused disruption to classes and forced some schools to close.
In Telford & Wrekin 10 schools were affected, with more than 20 schools in the rest of Shropshire partially or fully closed.
Today's strike by the National Union of Teachers is part of a dispute following changes to pay, pensions and working conditions and it means thousands of pupils will lose a day of lessons.
The action has angered parents who have been forced to take time off work due to childcare problems and it has been criticised by the Department of Education. But NUT leaders have defended their decision to stage the walkout, blaming Education Secretary Mr Gove and his policies.
Shropshire and Mid Wales school strike closures list
Some Shropshire parents were only finding out today if their children's schools were closed as a result of the strike.
Nationally, tens of thousands of teachers today walked out in a bitter row over pay and conditions in defiance of the Prime Minister's plea for them to call off the industrial action.
Union leaders said the national walkout would be a "last resort" but it has gone ahead and NUT members have this morning joined picket lines across the country.
The strike was today causing frustration for many parents across Shropshire and the rest of the country. Several pointed out that that their children are losing a day's education because of the teachers' actions, yet if they take their children out of school on holiday during term time they are fined.
More than 60 per cent of people taking part in an online poll on Shropshirestar.com disagreed with the NUT's actions, with 66 per cent disagreeing and 34 per cent approving.
Readers have called teachers 'greedy' and 'selfish' for walking out.
One said: "We almost all have children or had children at primary school and many of us have worked in them too or have relatives, friends or neighbours who are teachers, and we are very well aware of the fact that they are paid far better than comparative professions who are employed by the taxpayer and they also benefit from far shorter working days and long frequent holidays."
Another commentator said of teachers: "No risk of extortionate fines for them for taking time off outside school holidays. Don't like the system, don't like the job, get out and give the jobs to the selfless ones who put our children's education before self gratification and greed.
"Do teachers really believe the parents who struggle to put food on the table give a damn about their protected salaries and gold plated pensions?
"They give a poor message to the children they are supposed to have an important relationship with when many of those children are living in extremely highly stressed and financially strained homes."
However many were in support of the strike.
One supporter tweeted: "Education is not free child care. Try to understand the big picture please. Support teachers and support kids."
Nikki Kane, who is in favour of the strike, tweeted: "I work in the public sector. It's disgusting how they treat staff. If a big corporation did it they would be sued. I support them."
