Letters to my sons.

Dear Son,

the teachers are going on strike tomorrow. When I first read about this strike the press were saying that it was the first teachers strike in 21 years. When I first read this I couldn’t believe the 21 years bit because the teachers went on strike when I was at school and that wan’t 21 years ago.

Then I worked out how many years it was since I was at school and it really was 21 years ago as there were strikes from around 83/84 until 1987. I remember having a day off school in 1984, the night before it was The Young Ones – essential TV viewing for a 13 year old. I went into town and met up with a couple of friends and saw our French teach, Mr Leach who was on strike, wandering around one of the deserted school sites. He looked utterly and completely bored and devoid of direction. When we saw him we made a hurried retreat in the opposite direction. He might have been on strike but it seems the pull of the school – even when closed and locked – was too great.

The Miners Strike was in full flow at the same time and while beating a retreat I found a piece of coal in the road. I put it into an empty crisp packet and took it home as we were very short at home.

A strange time to grow up in. The battles that were lost in the 1980’s have given us the right wing “Labour” government we have now. And if we didn’t have The Young Ones we would still have racist humorists on the television.