I get really angry when I hear people who aren't teachers calling in to CBC to speak their mind on what they think teachers should have to accept as part of their job. This current strike is not strong enough and the teachers will not get what they deserve which is more respect and better wages.

I would like to see teachers truly unite, step up their strike to the point of quitting en masse and make some demands that would put them on par with managers of other businesses that are responsible to grow and sustain valuable commodities. I can't think of a commodity more valuable than our children except maybe the people responsible to teach them...namely teachers!

Here are a few of the demands teachers need to make...and they need to make these bottom line demands upon which there will be no negotiation. Teachers must stop taking the abuse this society puts upon them:

1/ Starting wage bumped to $75,000.00 a year with regular increases for years of service (about 2000 a year) and level of education and a cap at $150,000.00 a year. There should be a 10% bonus for vice principal and a 15% bonus for principal.

2/ Locally controlled air conditioning/heating in every classroom.

3/ Return of the right to physically discipline kids with behaviour problems. Disrespectful and unruly children need a good spanking now and then...not a day or two off school so they can stay home and play video games.

4/ Regular, scheduled breaks, completely away from the kids every day. Two 10 minute breaks a day where they can say, "Get out of here. Go outside and play or whatever...I don't want to see you or hear you for 10 minutes."

5/ Reinstate the college of teacher's right to investigate their own before a charge goes public.

6/ Each desk should be supplied with a laptop computer or each student assigned a computer that is their own for that school year. Kids need to be taught how to manage electronic data and information in the real world.

Well there's a start...