fGREAT IF OUR KIDS WANT MORE MONEY IN THE FUTURE JUST STRIKE.MAYBE WE SHOULD KEEP OUR KIDS AT HOME THEN THE TEACHERS CAN ALL GO HOME WITH NO SALARY AT ALL

And I'm stuck with teenagers at home - G-d HELP! I do understand that teaching positions in Israel are going to the "loosers" more and more, since it's a joke to support your family with a joke of a salary. The whole education system in this country is a mess. 1-Start with overpopulated classrooms 2-Israeli pupils !OMG, (that's the hardest) 3-little amount -if any of schools to choose from for your kids 4- And for a teacher to have a BA or MA and be paid less than the cleaning lady, installator, no way ! Israel has a terribly bad economy, socialist to a lage extent, and promting more riches to the rich and more poverty for the poor. I stand by the teacher's side -

What should the teacher's do continue to work for minimal wage? In other countries of the world such as Spain, the US, teachers get a respectable wage. Here, they spend three years at teaching college to earn just above the minimum wage. It's no wonder our standards are falling. Add to that big classes, over crowding and inadequate facilities. As an ex-teacher, I've taught in classrooms which didn't have enough desks. Students who didn't have books. There something horrible and rotten deep within the system and the wages are only part of it.

The Ministers of the Treasury and the Education are stupid fools. They know that this strike is going to be ongoing for months and thus finally they will have to cave in, whether they like it or not. Thus by settling now they could save face, but if they delay it will cause the government to pay even more than they have in mind just now. And the general public will become even more disenchanted with the government and thus it will be inevitable that the government will collapse quicker than is generally thought. It is always stupidity that causes governments to fall, so Ohlmert, take note !

Here again our government has failed us. With 562 Million going to the PA, and Peres upgrading the Arab schools, somebody is going to come out on the short end of the stick. Guess who?

peres was oh so very good at dealing with the arab teachers... and getting them to settle down. if he could settle the arab teachers' strike peres can do wonders for the jewish teachers' strike. right? anyone? you mean peres is only good for the arabs?

It saddens me to read an ex teacher calling teachers fools. Being a teacher is not foolish. Being a parent who is not striking along with the teachers for a better system of education for our children, is foolish. Voting for governments who do not address the issue of education in a serious and intelligent way, is foolish. Paying high municipal taxes into the hands of those who earn ridiculous salaries, instead of demanding that taxes be used to better the physical situation of many city schools, is foolish. Participating in our education system, and not demanding more, is foolish. Wanting to educate children, is not foolish. It is the parents, the voters, the adults of this country who have made fools of our children. And It is easier to make fools of the teachers, than admitting how foolish we all are.

Teachers MUST be paid properly. I would ask Minister Tamir if she is aware that most young teachers who have a university degree with high scores do not work as school teachers but get well paid positions in colleges and in business. A school teacher in Israel puts in longer hours than their counterparts in other countries and spends hours preparing lessons. And what does the teacher get in return? They are paid shockingly low salaries; have to put up with overcrowded classes, totally undisciplined kids and parents who are equally undisciplined! Minister Tamir, are you and your colleagues so lacking in common sense to realize that education is the future of the country? Without investing in the education of our children how will the country cope in developing the wherewithal to protect ourselves? Satellites and modern military technology don't fall out of the sky. We must give our children the tools and a proper education is the most important tool of all! It’s a pity that Yonit Levi of Channel 2 News did not ask the Minister of Education, Professor Yuli Tamir, these questions on last night's News at 8.