This strike is a classic tale of human beings vs. bureaucracy. The council sees “roles” and “efficiencies.” The staff see their students, their routines, their purpose. And when those two worldviews collide, you get picket signs and park benches turned into meeting spots. It’s messy. It’s real. It’s a bit British.
I’ll be watching this one. And if I were Kent County Council, I’d take those “further talks” very seriously—because the people on the other side of the table aren’t just unhappy employees. They’re the ones who actually know how to help a kid who can’t sit still, or a teen who can’t find the words. That’s not a role change. That’s a superpower. And superpowers shouldn’t be restructured out of existence.
