IT'S unusual for us to hark back a day in this column, but an issue emerged from the floods yesterday which, after careful thought, we feel will strike a chord.

The closure of Worcester Bridge - but only Worcester Bridge - led to many schools shutting because teachers had difficulty travelling to work in and around the Faithful City.

According to Julien Kramer, Worcestershire's education director, "some live a considerable distance away or have their own children who can't get to school".

We're not in the habit of shooting the messenger for the message, but we believe pupils have been taught a bad lesson: "Let's not try."

That may seem harsh. After all, the profession plays a hugely, often unsung part in our lives. But let's examine the evidence as most people see it.

Using all the information poured in the public's direction, adding common sense and good preparation, thousands of people managed to straddle the Severn via Powick or Holt, then reach work and play their part in keeping the community going, before driving home. No drama. Just a little patience and a few sacrifices.

The vicious circle which saw some teachers staying at home to look after children because other teachers had stayed at home needed to be broken. But it wasn't.

Once the snowball rolled, it meant hundreds of businesses being robbed of parent-workers - or those parents having to make arrangements with family or friends to mind the children.

In effect, the missing few had a greater impact on people's lives than the water itself.

What a good job our doctors and nurses, our firemen and police, our council workers and volunteers didn't do the same. All of us - teachers included - would have been in trouble if they had.