@Mark Walsh: there still teaching!!!

@Larry Roe: they are in their hole.

@Peadar O’Comain: can teachers guarantee that they will treat all students fairly ? All teachers have favorites and have students they don’t care about.

@Larry Roe: they’re. They didn’t do a good job with you !

@Mark Walsh: so if my son’s teacher was out contact tracing how would be son do online learning with video calls to teachers?stupid comment

@Peter Hughes:
Is that the parents you are referring to?

@Mark Walsh: That’s a very ignorant comment. Teachers have and are working from home like most of the country.

@Peter Hughes: nasty horrible man. Hope my wife doesn’t teach your kids. No wonder discipline is gone to the dogs. You haven’t spoken to one teacher. They were prepared to go above & beyond all June & July if necessary. There are plenty of other places you can spout your rotten venom. Who vilifies, bashes your job? You had the same CAO form as the rest of us. Do your six years and get into a classroom if it’s that easy. You wouldn’t last a day.

@Stephen Cumbers: very general. All decisions must be based on evidence from past scores. The grade supplied must be based on past performance. There won’t be any room not to be fair. The Principal will get the complete table of data on each student and will pick up on any outliers. I believe students will be treated fairly and can appeal and then opt for exams if they feel that they haven’t.

@Mark Walsh: What have you done during the pandemic apart from pontificate on the web? My son’s teachers have played a blinder. They held classes online and also asked about their general mood and showed interest in them.
They are after being landed in the middle of a s**t storm with this solution but they are smart enough to know the majority of people are not like you and hope they cope.

@Michael Turner: Setting work for each class period and an online lesson with every group at least once a week, usually for 30mins – 45mins but doing two with 5th & 6th Years. The mountain of corrections continues to grow and I continue to correct. I’m not moaning or looking for praise, it’s my job, which I am doing so please keep your I’ll advised scorn to yourself. My 6th Years have even asked me if we can still finish out the course as we only had about a week left to cover, so of course I’ll give them that so they feel a bit of accomplishment in all this. So please, shove your silly little comment right back where it came from

@Peter Hughes: Peter is another person who thinks teachers are first responders. That on top of educating which is their job the are also child minders which of course is false. Peter is indeed responsible for the child at home and the childs behaviour at school also. Peter also probably believes that a teachers work is done when the bell rings. Eh no add another 2 to 3 hours of correcting and lesson plans from home. Peter would also probably gave no problem sending children back to school which is the worlds number one spreader of viruses. Peter is not alone, there are many Peter’s, all with the same ignorant tone.

@Tommy C: Bla bla bla ye get four months off a year and still have the neck to complain…you would not last a week in the private sector

@Peter Hughes: I’m not a teacher Peter. I just know more than you about it

@Peter Hughes: @Peter Hughes: child, there is so much wrong with your simpleton outlook. Seems like you’re dealing with a bit of emotional baggage there. Teacher too tough on you? Felt a bit left out in class maybe? Let it out son, it’s OK.

Peter you are aware you cannot generalise the ‘private sector’… I’m sure plenty of teachers could clean your windows or sell you a newspaper. But look child you cling onto that big stick you call June July and August, take it into a classroom with you and see how you get on for a day or two.

Stay classy Petey

@Mark Walsh: have you read the article boss? Chatted to any teachers lately? Done your homework yeah?

Start again pal.

@Kevin Leo: I can safely say in my years of school there was one good teacher who actually enjoyed teaching….the rest were uninterested and useless….could not motivate a class to save their lives, maybe times have changed and teachers actually know how to teach these days.

@Peter Hughes: who’s complaining Peter? You’re the only one moaning and complaining here from what I can see. You’re making a right eejit of yourself. And you probably have more time off than they do if you have your evenings to yourself and your weekends off. Enjoy your time off and don’t be resentful of others….it’ll only eat you up man!

@Joe Kennedy: Your obviously a teacher. Every time a teacher is a called out on The Journal your on here defending them. The teacher’s union encourage the teacher’s to do this and to post good comments about teacher’s.

@Simon Toner: I hope your not correcting grammar I’ll/ill… Joke…Don’t get me wrong, there are a good few teachers that go above and beyond, but as a whole they are overpaid for the hours they do and should have been cut to the €350. I still stand by my comment and decline your offer of shoving it anywhere!

@Edwardson Mike: Aw I’m chuffed that you’ve noticed that Mike….thanks very much! I haven’t noticed any comments you’ve made on here before so apologies for that. I have close family and friends who are teachers, so I think I know a lot about what they do yeah. And you think only teachers would defend teachers is it? Would that be the same of any profession? So only accountants could defend accountants is it? I don’t think I’ve read a more idiotic comment on here than your last sentence about the union there by the way….Haha. You’re having a laugh I assume?!

@Joe Kennedy: Teachers complain non stop….again they think they should be paid more for a 6/7 hour day with 4 months holidays….comical and ya would only get it in this country lol

@Michael Turner: the hours they do? Please tell me what hours you think they do Mike and give us a laugh there!! Let me guess, let me guess….22 hrs a week is it?! And 5 or 6 months off a year is it Haha….go on….tell us!

@Michael Turner: I would have had no problem taking the 350 and stopping online teaching but it wasn’t an option. Instead I am pretty much on call for my students. Have had emails in the middle of the night, worked 7 days a week to get through corrections and plan suitable online work. I’m not moaning. I love my job. Just giving you some facts.

@Joe Kennedy: Poor Joe you didn’t get what I said at all just rushed in to reply.

@Peter Hughes: show me where they’re complaining about this please Pete. None of the ones I know have been complaining or moaning, so where are you getting this ‘complaining or moaning’ from? It seems to be only yourself moaning that they’re always moaning! If you’re not a teacher, then it has nothing to do with you so why bother moaning yourself? Think everyone has enough to be worrying about at the moment other than that surely?

@Edwardson Mike: haha….ah help me understand so Mike. It wss a very deep multi-layered comment in fairmess…maybe I didn’t analyse it long enough. Enlighten me please.

@Michael Turner: Ah, I knew the dreaded autocorrect would hang me out to dry! Glad that’s the only problem you found with my argument though. I assume you had the same issue with your use of “you’re”… You admit that a “good few” go above and beyond but that on whole we’re overpaid? How many is a good few? How many are wasters and can you give specific examples which would prove your claim? Or are you just looking for a good old teacher bash for no reason? I’ve had students ask me about their grades, I can’t blame them really. But the truth is that now some of them will not get what they deserve and teachers are looking to work with this mental new system and not be hung out to dry as a result, that is not a moan. If we’re so overpaid and have a cushy job please join us and sign up

@Niall Bourke: fair play Niall, you would think the teachers actually caused the pandemic to hear and read some of this stuff

@Peter Hughes: Hi Peter, I’m a teacher… teaching 20 years, with 3 post-grads in various aspects of teaching. I’ve an ’06 car and earn less than a starting salary for a manager in Lidl. My CONTACT TIME is 28 hours a week. I then spend hours more every day on planning, preparing resources, correcting work, analysing difficulties, record keeping, policy writing, collaborating with colleagues, upskilling etc. See our work doesn’t end when kids leave the building. I’ve worked in other jobs including 12 hour shifts in warehouses and NOTHING compares to the emotional, mental and physical exhaustion of teaching. I’m sorry you had a bad experience in school but I had a bad experience with a plumber once ten years ago myself! You can’t tar everyone with the same brush.

@Simon Toner: Let them off, I take my hat off to anyone who has worked from home at this time, it is a big ask from anyone. As SN I was delighted with the decision, enough people have gotten ill and died with this virus. Stay safe and well and enjoy your summer as best you can when the time arrives

@Joe Kennedy: i went back and read his comment

@Mark Walsh: ya people like you can just f**k off

@Sandra McBride: and what did you think Sandra? Did I misinterpret it you think?

@Joe Kennedy: Poor Joe getting out in his place by everyone tonight :-)

@Edwardson Mike: getting out?! What are you on about lad?! Haha…

@Edwardson Mike: still waiting on your explanation of what you meant by the way! :)

@Joe Kennedy: Poor Joe worried about the parents asking the teachers tough questions. It’s totally different dealing with adults.

@Kevin Leo:
Didnt do a great job with you kevin
Boss LMFAO

@Edwardson Mike: haha….what are you smoking lad?! Go easy on it there. Tough questions about what?! Read the article there and it might help you understand what actually is going on.

@Mark Walsh: Actually when help was sought upon the start of the virus outbreak, many teachers offered to help. However, they were soon told they’d be unable to by the dept of education as their duties are to teach and support their students with all working from home. But don’t let these facts get in the way of your anti-teacher rant.

@Stephen Cumbers: Of course they can’t. That’s why everyone, including the teachers, would really rather if we could have run the leaving cert as normal. Even if you consciously decide to be 100% objective, you can’t – that’s just the way humans work. Since the teachers and dept of education know this, they have organised as neutral and as fair a process as they could, involving more than the judgement of one teacher and one school.

@Peter Hughes: I’m sorry that was your experience but do your research buddy. Chat to a teacher or two, comment later. Good lad.

@niamh mc dermott: my heart bleeds

@Simon Toner: my heart now bleeds…

@mr magoo: Im not against teachers but it does not take 6 years to be a teacher

@Mark Walsh: In fairness you can’t bracket every school with that remark. Some schools have been brilliant with online classes and support for children with special needs.

@Joe Kennedy:I have no problem with teachers i have close family and plenty of close friends teachers and fair play to them its not a job for everybody.But please do not bring in hours worked into any argument involving teachers 22 hours a week even adding 3 hours a night for corrections etc which is generous in the extreme only brings it to 37. Guaranteed 17 weeks off for primary and 21 for secondary a d.b pension(for all but latest recruits) and unless your a complete tit job security second to none.They are NOT working at the moment i get a 20 minute video with a story and a pdf of whats to do a week but I AM teaching my 5 y/o every day and me and my wife are working split to do this FULL TIME between time travelled and work 20 HOURS A DAY for the last 2 months.

@niamh mc dermott: Niamh fair play if you are doing that. I have two sons ones teacher has been brilliant, the other quote oh sorry I’ll be on my laptop on friday I’ll answer your query than. Query was placed on a Monday. This wont work it’s unfair on students who may be on the wrong side of spiteful teachers (this can happen) , unfair on teachers who may get hounded by parents to give better grades. And unfair on parents who will not know what story to believe. I think the Exams should of happened in some form or another be it project work assigned for work at home. The whole thing has been handled terribly

@Lorcan OReilly: I completely appreciate your points. That’s unacceptable that your son was left waiting that long for a response. I definitely would have contacted school management in that case. We have been clearly instructed not to engage with parents or students on the topic of grades and there’s no way I would, to protect myself. I really hoped exams would happen for my students but since school closed I’ve realised that there is a huge disparity among student experiences of working from home. Some have amazing support from parents, others aren’t living in environments where they can work, for many different reasons. I have one student whose mother has to drive somewhere once a week just to get broadband to send her child’s work.

@Michael Turner: very mature comment. You’re obviously not capable of an adult discussion.

@Michael McGrath: so what go be one so …… fantastic job ……. fantastic

@Michael McGrath: but it’s not generous in the extreme Michael you see….you’re actually underestimating it….. as many who don’t actually do the job do, in fairness. The 22 hours is only class contact time. Way more to it than that nowadays….. and you forgot weekend hours also. And you’re happy to make a blanket statement of “they are NOT working” because you’re not happy with what your own kid’s teacher is doing? Surely you see how ridiculous that is? Did you contact the school and see what the story is?

@Michael McGrath: sometimes it does Michael….at second level anyway.

@Peter Hughes: idiot

@Peter Hughes: I see you gave yourself a thumbs up, you’re the man!!
Stupidity is never in short supply.

@Simon Toner: well said teachers doing amazing work. Sure it’s the same old keyboard warriors that bash all public sector employees who have their safe jobs but also forgetting we represent nurses, doctors, scientists etc all working extremely long hours to fight this pandemic.

@Michael McGrath: 4 year degree plus 2 years training.

@Mark Walsh: LMFAO… Jaysus, enough said.

@Peter Hughes: your comment makes my stomach churn. I am a teacher. I teach online EVERY day , to the detriment of my own children’s homeschooling . I have just finished corrections for 5th years spent yesterday preparing for this weeks online classes. We now are in unknown territory with predicted grades but we will engage for the good of our LC’s. I would have gone in every day in the summer if exams were to go ahead and invigorated but they aren’t for health reasons. But you keep the teacher bashing going if it makes you feel better.

@Kath Noonan: omg the ignorance. Every one with an opinion on something they have absolutely no idea about. Laughable really.

@mr magoo: so your opinion is other people shouldn’t have an opinion . That’s a silly opinion in my opinion.

@Terry McSweeney: not if they’ve never done the job. I wouldn’t have an opinion on yours. Nor you on mine. But everyone has an opinion on my wife’s job and I’m sick of it. She works bloody hard, it never ends for her. And physical, verbal & emotional abuse all the time. Society won’t be happy till she’s sleeping in the school and not getting paid.

@Kath Noonan: these nonsense comments are gone beyond a joke. You go organize a HL English paper into an hour and a half without causing absolute outrage. Secondly what happens if an exam center has to be shut down because someone displays symptoms. Do they just repeat or does the whole thing just stop and we are left in an even worse mess? You don’t what you’re talking about so keep your moronic opinions to yourself.

@Kath Noonan: and all the primary and secondary teachers and SNA.

@mr magoo: no just want her to work a typical private sector working year. what part of public service do you work in.

@Kath Noonan: That has nothing to do with the teachers.. Speak to the minister for ed if you feel that way

@james foley: I work for Intel. 4 x 12 hour shifts a week. When I come home I’m finished. She’s NEVER finished. I earn twice as much as her, 2 years less in college and less than half her workload. It’s like the gardaí programme recently. Looking at what they deal with every day. You wouldn’t believe the abuse. PHYSICAL!!! too. Would you do it? I wouldn’t. Not for twice my salary.

@john s: Record points don’t matter if everyone gets them – it’s only the relative placing of the students that matters.

@Larry Roe: They prefer it now until they get a grade they don’t like in a few months.

@Eoghan Stynes: clearly the state exams aren’t safe enough to proceed. Clearly your hurler on the ditch opinion counts way more than any other. Your precious state exams aren’t going ahead. End of.

@Eoghan Stynes: if you bothered to read any articles on school profiling you would agree with it but clearly your information is based off Twitter and journal comment sections rather than informed articles and gov websites. It’s totally necessary to maintain a somewhat even distribution of results. You can’t have schools getting h1s left right and centre.

@Eoghan Stynes: The unions had nothing to do with it. They were told following following public health advice it was a no

@john s: I think everyone agrees to less work without a paycut, in a union or not.

@Eugene Comaskey: Well I think his idea was that they would be making a judgement on the data alone (the results in previous tests) and any feelings/connections/good or bad relationships with the students wouldn’t be a factor in the decision then.

@Eugene Comaskey: There was no need for that.

@Joe Kennedy: they’re not being asked to judge off previous tests alone, they are being asked to predict what they should have got if the schools didn’t close which means 3 extremely important months of course finishing and revision. And usually kids go up in the actual leaving from mocks/pres except maybe those that do f all work. How is a stranger supposed to decipher this.