Strike two

John's off school. Just like millions of other children, his school is affected by the teacher's strike today. I remember vividly the last time teachers went on strike, when I was 11...
My sister, pupil of a well established private school (aka full of stuck up toffs), wasn't affected. The high salaries paid for by mummy and daddy's car dealership meant that they had no reason to complain. I, on the other hand, was sent to a school that made Belmarsh look like a Butlins Holday Camp. The school was the recipient of each and every expelled child in the local authority, and as such had some really unpleasant characters. This also meant that the teachers were the dregs of the career ladder, mostly being bitter old has-beens or fresh faced newbies to the industry. Both were perfect candidates for the NUT, and as such when the strikes came about the school was severely affected. Half days here, whole days there, the rumour mill in the school was at full steam and many children would be missing when they were supposed to be there. The case for the defence was normally "oh, I thought there was a strike today" and many a child would be seen roaming the street looking for something educational to do(!). It came to a head when we were told as a class that last lesson on the Monday would be Science, and was off. We were then told it was ok and it was back on again, but we all took the opportunity to catch an entire episode of Sons and Daughters and left early anyway.
The next morning a young science teacher appeared, tearful, and exceptionally upset that an entire class of 32 (except one swot) hadn't bothered to turn up after expressly being told the class was still on. We laughed. She didn't. The strikes finished after that.