Chatroom - election campaign (6 May). As a supply teacher of many years standing who, as a widow, depends on the pay, I feel we have been dumped on by those who voted to accept the pay deal! Do permanent staff realise what it could mean for them? More internal cover? Potential of more than one class being supervised in assembly halls? I was even more infuriated when I read that Cosla member Pat Watters admitted the supply proposals were aimed at those who had retired and returned to do supply. The school I do supply for only has retired teachers to count on, as it’s a rural academy and young teachers waiting to find a permanent job are not willing to wait around in this kind of area.

Gardup

Subscriber of the week - Andy McPake, Broughton (6 May). Andy is a fantastic, Stakhanovite, inspirational young teacher with great ideas and infectious dedication to literature and teaching. Treat him well!

Dougiearbuckle

One in 20 students don’t give a monkey’s about Darwin (29 April). Now that natural selection has ceased, or rather been overtaken by, human selection (all kinds of genetic managements), where are we going now? I know this doesn’t contribute to the debate but I’ve wondered whether thoughts about the past can be turned to the future. If we seem to be the “intelligent” managers of the future, where are we going and what is our purpose (if we have one)?

questioner

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