Tile Spacers, leave them in, or take them out, What say you!!!

My tiler has left some of the spacers in the grout. I don't want my flashback tiles to crack. It's been 6 months- should I still try to remove the spacers or leave them in.
 
We are having a constant battle with learners and employers of apprentices regarding leaving tile spacers in the joint. This is something I have never done on any job ( that I can remember:rolleyes5🙂. There are loads of YouTube vids and many pieces of literature that show the spacer in the joint but it will never state that is has to be removed (annoying :mad2: ). There are lots of reasons why it isn't acceptable. Has anyone had any experience with this, e.g., customer, site agent , Clark of works, architect or another fixer, OR tiling lecturer😱mg_smile:. Want side of the fence are you on!!
(apologies if this has been discussed before..)
On floors no spacers full stop every spacer placed could have been a tile instead !! Stick to your lines or lasers !!
 
The two main points were these:- It can weaken the joint because of the lack of grout in the joint and also because the depth of grout is not the same throughout the joint...
Home was last renovated in 1993, grout failed at corners, each had a solid spacer. The spacer became rigid and brittle with age, and grout did not adhere to it. Nice tile, but the cracking turned it into a mess.
 

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