[News] Schools are closed as teachers cannot afford to live close to schools

[somabc]

Who can afford to live next to where they work!? Certainly not me!

Francis Gilbert: Schools are still closed because teachers can't afford to live near where they work | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

No, the real reason is because many inner-city teachers are exiled to the remote shires, living in homes they can afford on their modest wages.

A colleague of mine told me the other day that she would need to put down 40% of her dream home's value before getting a mortgage to buy it – something she couldn't possibly ever hope of doing.

[jamesb]

When working as a network manager I couldn't even have afforded to rent a broom cupboard near the school, let alone think for two seconds about buying one.

As such, my sympathy on this matter is a little conflicted. Its not just teachers who are needed to keep a school running.

[danIT]

When working in a school I always wanted to be as far away from it as possible, nothing worse then bumping into pupils at the school when doing your weekly shop.

[webman]

What will they complain about next to try and get themselves more money I wonder?

[rad]

When working in a school I always wanted to be as far away from it as possible, nothing worse then bumping into pupils at the school when doing your weekly shop.

Totally agree!

I work about 6 miles from home, normally this is too close but in London, its way away. I would not be able to afford to live in a good place nearby,.

[tech_guy]

When working in a school I always wanted to be as far away from it as possible, nothing worse then bumping into pupils at the school when doing your weekly shop.

Yes, I agree too. I live 20 miles away from the school and it's bloody brilliant in more ways than one.

[Gibbo]

Load of rubbish. When I was young none of my teachers lived near school, they all lived in the posher suburbs on the outskirts of the city.

A colleague of mine told me the other day that she would need to put down 40% of her dream home's value before getting a mortgage to buy it – something she couldn't possibly ever hope of doing.

My missus's idea of a "dream home" is a 5 bed detached house with driveway for three cars and huge front and back garden.

My dream home would be a castle or something with a moat. That's the idea of dream homes - something you aspire to when you retire or win the lottery.

[powdarrmonkey]

I had teachers who drove from the wrong side of Birmingham to Alcester every day, in all weathers, and one who drove from the Forest of Dean and was always on time, even in snow. There's no reason teachers couldn't do it nowadays too.

Edit: for perspective, that's a 120-mile round trip almost.

[nicholab]

My dream home would be my own House!!!

[Geoff]

I'd buy Hawaii.

[alan-d]

I'd buy Hawaii.

I'll let you know when I want to sell it

[apoth0r]

First the Earth, then the universe!
Get 'orf my laaaaaaaaaaand!

[elsiegee40]

When working in a school I always wanted to be as far away from it as possible, nothing worse then bumping into pupils at the school when doing your weekly shop.

I live 10 minutes from school which is good up to a point. However, it would be nice to go into Pizaa Express or Sainsbury's without a youngster saying loudly "That's Mrs G...!"

I actually asked for a different table as I was being seated at Pizza Express a week or so ago. I would have been surrounded by kids from my school

[tmcd35]

I had teachers who drove from the wrong side of Birmingham

Erm, is there a 'right side' of Birmingham? If so I've never found it (sorry to anyone living in Birmingham).

[mac_shinobi]

Erm, is there a 'right side' of Birmingham? If so I've never found it (sorry to anyone living in Birmingham).

Makes 2 of us lol