The current tumult in the Mexican education arena has deep roots in politics and tradition, but it is latter-day global competition and international measures of student performance that are driving reform efforts. Teacher strikes and demonstrations are not new in Mexico, but issues raised by today's protesting teachers represent a combination of…

The British school system is experiencing an unprecedented wave of teacher strikes due to low pay, limited promotion prospects, eroding status, and increased demands on teachers from rising academic standards and parent expectations. High unemployment rates, diminishing public-sector funding, and the British class system are worsening a chaotic…