Is the teachers’ strike a justified move?
Who has been affected (and pardon my bluntness). Not that it isn’t an important issue with many collateral damages, e.g., leaving our children unattended for those three hours that the strike will last/would have lasted?
But on the other hand, you might say that this is how “revolutions” happen: with sacrifices.
–Grandma, make the…sacrifice and take care of the child. I need to go to work.
No grandparents around? Sorry, you’re out of luck. Take them with you to the construction site or the office.
However, that’s a different and less significant issue. Just as the teachers’ strike scheduled for tomorrow (19/11) has essentially “degenerated” into a secondary topic in light of the statement made by the president of OELMEK, Dimitris Taliadoros.
Not even that issue which sparked the entire discussion—whether the evaluation system needs changing or transforming—concerns us. We do care, but on the scale where Mr. Taliadoros’s statement weighs heavily on one side, the evaluation system pales in comparison.
So our focus is this:
“So some want to come out and say that a woman has been found to change legislation after 50 years?”
Even the phrasing—if you’ll allow me—is linguistically poor aside from being conceptually unacceptable.
This “some want to come out and tell us,” coming from an educator’s mouth, lacks linguistic quality, if I may say so, but I wish that was the whole problem.
So why is the representative’s statement more significant than the issue of changing the evaluation method?
Because the person representing those responsible for educating our children should hold certain fundamental principles and beliefs, which in 2025 are not optional but prerequisites.
One of these is respect for individuals. And individuals (in case we overlook this) are equal members of our species, both women and men. It goes without saying that I feel somewhat uncomfortable having to clarify this, but evidently, it seems necessary.
As a parent, I am not overly concerned with information and training. Not that I consider them unimportant, but they are not as crucial as education, fostering ideas, proper social positioning, and empathy that we must develop and instill in our children as much as our role allows.
This is what I want from educators.
And most of them do just that, indeed with zeal and enthusiasm (judging by the teachers who instruct my child). But when these educators are represented by someone who clearly considers women inferior, who deems them not capable—or at least not equally capable as men—to do “the job,” then this inevitably comes back and tarnishes the educators themselves.
And I’ll say it as I think: I have no expectations from Mr. Taliadoros whatsoever. Even if he apologizes (which I do not know if he has done so far), even if he “comes out” (as he himself says) and praises with some fabricated speech the role and position of women, there is nothing that would make me believe that this man has changed his views within 24 hours.
If he does so, for me it would be even worse than what he said. Because if this is your opinion, however despicable it may be, at least have the courage of your convictions and hold onto it until the end without flip-flopping.
On the other hand, from those whom I have expectations of are the educators themselves to uphold the “sanctity” of their role, the importance of their identity as professionals, and their image as educators; they should not tolerate for even a minute being represented by any gentleman who considers most of those he represents to be inferior beings.
