Lockout

Ireland, USA & Scotland representing all the wonderful professional teachers who have been locked out of their place of work by the Danish government

Hawaii representing all the dedicated Danish teachers who the Government has locked out. 

Over 30,000 teachers demonstrated today against the government's decision to lock them out of their workplace on April 2nd. Yup, you read that correctly: The Danish government actually locked all of their teachers out of their place of work. Why?

Well, in order to understand why, you'd have to get into what is becoming an increasingly detectable pattern: the infantilizing of a population by its government. Why would a government want to infantilize its citizens? Well, to control it, of course. 

Historically, Denmark is one of the few countries who can truly say that the profession of teaching is still somewhat respected. First of all, to become a teacher here is no small deal. One would have to go through a 4 year programme, if one would like to be qualified to work in any public school here.  This system, of course, is not perfect: there are stories which abound of students graduating from seminariums and discovering, once out in the field, that well, teaching isn't for them. But most stay and take care of Denmark's children: teaching them, guiding them, nurturing them. In order to understand the importance of this, you'd have to understand how institutionalized Denmark is. Most babies begin their institutionalization process at the age of maybe 18months. But I guess to many reading this, that may sound like a luxury--Denmark has maternity leave, with fathers entitled to paternity leave as well. 

So pedagogues and teachers play a huge role in this society.  

I have my issues with the Danish education system--but I have always loved the idea that teachers and educators enjoyed some sort of respect here. Not to mention that since I myself have been working in the education system for the pass 9 years (wow) I have to say that I have met some pretty amazing human beings who take their jobs as teachers very seriously and professionally. 

So the Danish government locked its teachers out.  For every day a teacher is locked out, this teacher is not getting paid, and students are not being taught. 

There is a lot more to this conflict, more than what I am touching upon. But what I really want to get at is how messed up it is for the Danish government to belittle its employees, the country's teachers in such a manner. It says a lot about the role public education will play in the future. It says a lot about the direction many of our societies seem to be leaning towards. It's a disturbing trend. It's a descernable pattern. And I really do hope that not only Denmark's teachers, but the entire populace as well, set a standard for the rest of the world, and well, do something different...

I know I'm in...

This piece is dedicated to all the wonderful teachers I have had the fortune of having, and of working with. I work as a teacher because there is a part of me which strongly believes it is my civic duty. I don't see myself teaching forever, but I do see myself going in and out of it for the rest of my life. But to those who remain in the profession, and cling to it like a faithful lover, I salute you. And I encourage you, to continue to take your stand.
Most teachers I have come across in my profession have gone over and beyond what most jobs demand. Being a teacher means putting yourself in the position of having to be responsible for the education of your students. It means doing all that you can to address all the individual needs of your students--to do otherwise would mean the exclusion of others, casualties even. For most of us in this society, schools have been the places where we are socialized for the "real" world. But I guess it's about time we the teachers, students, parents, everyone really, start to ask ourselves, what is this "real" world that we are preparing them for, anyway? And is this dismantling of the rights of teachers a sign, of things to come? 

farvel, 

the lab