Student Protest Marches - a couple of points!

[yoyo123]

Your friend may well work very hard, but so do lots of people who earn substantially less and the idea that there is a de facto link between hard work and remuneration is arrant nonsense.

This was not what i was saying at all
what she meant was that she was not "lucky" to be where she was , she had worked hard for it.

I am perfectly aware that people work hard and may not earn vast amounts. My parents worked extremely hard all their lives and earned barely above minimum wage. They were born in the twenties and for various reasons were unable to carry on their education. They did however support and encourage my sister and me

As for paying back loans. I had a student loan in 1993/4 I didn't earn enough to have to pay it back (although I did ) until 2004.

[shana Lewis]

WFG - The very poorest appear to have some limited protection at the moment, though i expect that to cease as this govt's term in office progresses.
I think people should be fairly renumerated on their efforts. Cuts proposed by this govt indicate proportionally, those on lower middle incomes will be hit the hardest, without even the satisfaction of knowing this loss is being re_invested back into the community.
As for the question of how much money could define someone as 'rich' - well, as a ballpoint figure I would say £100,000 plus per year is certainly pushing 'rich', notwithstanding location issues.

[Waiting_For_Godot]

The difficulty is that we just can't keep taxing people. Earners above £100k are now paying 60% tax. There would be very little incentive for them to progress to then be taxed at 70%. Did some Labour numpty not once tax high earners at 94%? High earners will either relocate or decline promotions and this will not benefit the tax man in any way.

Personally, I would be happy to be taxed more if it went into the NHS or to help those in deep deprivation but not to fund higher education as this should be funded by those who choose to opt for this route. I find it unfair to fund something that cannot be accessed by all 18-22 year olds.

[Snowdrops]

It's also no secret that, on average, teachers work about 50 hours a week. At peak times during the year, this can rise to well over 60. Perhaps we're just not working hard enough?

PLEASE!!!! Don't make me laugh and let's not start bigging up teachers again, that's not what this debate is about. The teachers I know barely put in 40 hours a week (and that's grudgingly) then complain they need a home life if they have to stay on and do a parents' evening, and we won't even start on about the 12 weeks holiday they get a year.

Then the rest of us won't go on about how our other half's put in 12 and 15 hour days every day, with little more than 5 weeks holiday a year.

There are plenty of great teachers out there, hopefully far more than there are bad, but let's not start bigging up or putting down one particular profession shall we?

[shana Lewis]

It's a shame you have such a low opinion of the teaching profession, but if your expereinces are true, then fair enough. However, my experience is at a very stark contrast to yours. I have worked in other careers before going into teaching and I can assure you this is an INCREDIBLY demanding job, from which you cannot 'switch off' from . Even the laziest teacher works far harder in one day than most people do in other jobs(it's unavoidable). I don't want to turn this into a debate about teachers , but one thing's for sure, the current plans will certainly deter promising young people from entering the profession and who could blame them?

[Snowdrops]

I did not say I have a low opinion of teachers.

I said the ones I know.

I stated "There are plenty of great teachers out there, hopefully far more than there are bad"

Your statement about "the laziest of teachers working far harder in one day than most people do in other jobs", I think you ought to be ashamed of that statement! The lazy teachers I know takes so much time off ill for even so much as a hint of a sniffle. Does no preparation for lessons over and above what they've been drilling out for years, barely marks any work and thinks the world owes them. Now let's look at other professions shall we. So, a teacher works far harder than binmen, nurses, miners, the armed forces etc, etc, etc do they? Take off your rose coloured spectacles and get real will you.

I suspect a lot of people will be deterred from entering lots of professions.

As I said, it's not just about teachers - don't make it so!

[Sally-Anne]

This thread has now run its course and is being locked.

Sally-Anne