The argument that our pension scheme is unaffordable is a non-starter. The National Audit Office reported recently that because of the changes we made a few years ago, our scheme is sustainable.

The government has always taken money out of our scheme, because it was started purely for that purpose.It was started and originally compulsory because the government needed more cash.

The government has decided it wants to save a certain amount of money and their changes have nothing whatsoever to do with making up a shortfall.There isn't one for our scheme.We have already put into place a safeguard against this.

If we don't do something now, then we will be finding it very hard to recruit young people into the teaching profession very soon.Many schools are already having to appoint executive headteachers to cover more than one school, because fewer and fewer people want the stress of doing that job. To attack the pension scheme will merely worsen the situation.

I would like the media to do a little more research before merely churning out the same old rubbish about, "Poor and lazy teachers,falling standards and generous pension schemes." I would like to see Mr.Gove shadow a teacher for a few months (although a week would probably be enough) to see what we actually do.Perhaps then he might be working from the point of a taste of reality before launching his ridiculous ideas and talking pure nonsense!

Sorry to sound so bitter and twisted - but many of us have had enough!