Nothing beats a bit of creativity on the picket line to get the point across.
When speeches about the plight of teachers, the stress of huge workloads and the struggle to properly support children in classrooms don’t sink in, there’s always a snappy placard to help capture the rage and frustration in a caption.
Hundreds of Sheffield teachers marched through the city centre today as part of calls to provide a “fully costed pay rise” of at least six per cent and to better support schools with funding.
Amid jeering chants asking PM Rishi Sunak to “fund schools, not heat swimming pools”, several teachers broke out the glue sticks and felt tips to make up placards and signs for the march.
Here are the best seen by The Star during the protest through the city centre on July 5.
1. Placards from Sheffield teachers' strike march
Striking Sheffield teachers broke out the glue sticks and felt tip pens for the NEU protest march in city centre today (July 5). Photo: Alastair Ulke
2. Attack on education secretary
This strongly worded placard attacks the Secretary of State for Education Gillian Keegan, who is the 10th the Conservative Government has had since 2010. Photo: Alastair Ulke
3. Rated Inadequate
On the steps of City Hall, NEU member Rafia Hussain said schools were "inundated with box-ticking exercises to please Ofsted", which was met by boos from the crowd of teachers. Photo: Alastair Ulke
4. Dolly Parton
This placard calls for veteran country and pop music star Dolly Parton to take the Secretary of State of Education job from Gillian Keegan. It's not apparent why. Photo: Alastair Ulke