Government’s failing grade

Since the beginning of the academic year, public school teachers, and many from private schools too, have abandoned their classes on an almost weekly basis and taken to the streets. The reason? They are demanding that the Council of Ministers, Lebanon’s cabinet, stop stalling and honor its promise to refer the new salary scale draft law to the parliament. At first glance this dispute may seem straightforward — in reality, the wide array of interests and possible impacts at play make for a class in politics and economic algebra all on their own.   Principles of protest Teachers striking for better wages has become a near annual occurrence in Lebanon, and, mainly due to their unified and organized front, their protests have met with some limited success. However, with the relentlessly rising cost of living eroding away these gains, it is never too long before the teachers head back to