Our government is totally irresponsible. They are trying to privatize as much as they can before they are utterly removed from office and sent packing to the corporate world (where they have ensured their well-being is looked after...after all they have done to boost corporate profits.) It is a shame that they have done this at the expense of young children and caring teachers. Do they even realize what they have done? I know teachers will always do their best for the students, but I am very concerned about the immediate fallout from the government legislation. This Liberal group has made an enemy of a formidable opponent, and they had better tread carefully for the near future.
Natalie - 12 years ago
I am disgusted that the government has allowed this situation to be neglected as long as they have! It is a situation that can no longer be ignored! Our children's safety and their education are at stake.
S Van Erp - 12 years ago
The issue is complex but the problem right now is simple: This government has no respect for teachers and the long term goal is to get out of the business of educating altogether. They want to privatize and, like the USA, the best strategy is to consistently underfund while moving public monies to the private system. Once it is broken, an overhaul is necessary.
The currenet system needs some changes. No doubt about it. But teachers are far from the problem - they are part of the solution. Yet, we are no longer heard becuase we have consistently applied pressure and spoke up about the needs of the students in this province who have had so many cuts. The answer has been an unprecedented attack on teachers from the Liberals for years. They have tried everything to silence us - so breaking the union is their latest attempt.
A dejected group of employees are not going to have the energy to deal with the austerity measures that are coming. We have been fighting and regrouping for too long. We deserve better than a stripping of our contract and complete loss of rights under Bill 22 simply becuase we want our students to have what they need and to be respected.
Lisa - 12 years ago
Don't all Canadian Employees deserve the right to at least negotiate? Bring in an impartial negotiator to find what is fair in the current state of our province.
Burnaby Beth - 12 years ago
I'm a teacher and I love my job. I don't like it when half of my class needs support that isn't there. I don't like it when my colleague across the hall has a class of 30, with more than half being ESL. I don't like it that we are trying our best to negotiate, but the gov't is being more stubborn than my mother! Their stubbornness is hurting our students, and as we've seen in the recent past, will hurt our future children. I am having a baby in August and what will happen if my child needs special support at school and doesn't get it? What would you do, Christy Clark?
Terry downton - 12 years ago
The system is broken because the government will not negotiate anything. They strip the teachers contract, the court rules against them, they ignore it and then legislate the teachers again. Welcome to communist state of BC.
Ann-Marie Hunter - 12 years ago
This is about removing the rights of teachers to protect public education. They know the concerns in the public schools and can be depended upon to fight for improvements! This article seems to be written by a short-sighted person, who is saying that the BCTF has controlled this bargaining process, which it hasn't! The government made a point of stalling, and eventually stopping a fair bargaining system from the beginning of negotiations. With regards to the strike action - it is definitely the only way, at this point, we can show our outrage! By the way, poor reporting has been used in this article in misstating the pro-strike vote - it was actually 87% - a BIG difference! The teachers are standing together to protect the right to speak out for public education. I'm really not sure why individuals would be against maintaining teachers' voices; those voices will definitely result in benefits for all school children.
Janet Anderson - 12 years ago
When a government proposes legislation that negates a judicial ruling that their actions were illegal-stripping of class size and composition from the contract-there is a question which arises : just how arrogant can this government become? If a government can and will side step a ruling by our legal system what will they do next? Further, the class size and composition language was there to assist students by creating a positive learning environment for all students.
joyce shimokura - 12 years ago
If the teachers don't fight for the children's right for a fair educational environment from the Special needs to the Gifted-who will? And where did the 138 million dollars slated for the "children of British Columbia and teachers" come from? J. Shimokura
Our government is totally irresponsible. They are trying to privatize as much as they can before they are utterly removed from office and sent packing to the corporate world (where they have ensured their well-being is looked after...after all they have done to boost corporate profits.) It is a shame that they have done this at the expense of young children and caring teachers. Do they even realize what they have done? I know teachers will always do their best for the students, but I am very concerned about the immediate fallout from the government legislation. This Liberal group has made an enemy of a formidable opponent, and they had better tread carefully for the near future.
I am disgusted that the government has allowed this situation to be neglected as long as they have! It is a situation that can no longer be ignored! Our children's safety and their education are at stake.
The issue is complex but the problem right now is simple: This government has no respect for teachers and the long term goal is to get out of the business of educating altogether. They want to privatize and, like the USA, the best strategy is to consistently underfund while moving public monies to the private system. Once it is broken, an overhaul is necessary.
The currenet system needs some changes. No doubt about it. But teachers are far from the problem - they are part of the solution. Yet, we are no longer heard becuase we have consistently applied pressure and spoke up about the needs of the students in this province who have had so many cuts. The answer has been an unprecedented attack on teachers from the Liberals for years. They have tried everything to silence us - so breaking the union is their latest attempt.
A dejected group of employees are not going to have the energy to deal with the austerity measures that are coming. We have been fighting and regrouping for too long. We deserve better than a stripping of our contract and complete loss of rights under Bill 22 simply becuase we want our students to have what they need and to be respected.
Don't all Canadian Employees deserve the right to at least negotiate? Bring in an impartial negotiator to find what is fair in the current state of our province.
I'm a teacher and I love my job. I don't like it when half of my class needs support that isn't there. I don't like it when my colleague across the hall has a class of 30, with more than half being ESL. I don't like it that we are trying our best to negotiate, but the gov't is being more stubborn than my mother! Their stubbornness is hurting our students, and as we've seen in the recent past, will hurt our future children. I am having a baby in August and what will happen if my child needs special support at school and doesn't get it? What would you do, Christy Clark?
The system is broken because the government will not negotiate anything. They strip the teachers contract, the court rules against them, they ignore it and then legislate the teachers again. Welcome to communist state of BC.
This is about removing the rights of teachers to protect public education. They know the concerns in the public schools and can be depended upon to fight for improvements! This article seems to be written by a short-sighted person, who is saying that the BCTF has controlled this bargaining process, which it hasn't! The government made a point of stalling, and eventually stopping a fair bargaining system from the beginning of negotiations. With regards to the strike action - it is definitely the only way, at this point, we can show our outrage! By the way, poor reporting has been used in this article in misstating the pro-strike vote - it was actually 87% - a BIG difference! The teachers are standing together to protect the right to speak out for public education. I'm really not sure why individuals would be against maintaining teachers' voices; those voices will definitely result in benefits for all school children.
When a government proposes legislation that negates a judicial ruling that their actions were illegal-stripping of class size and composition from the contract-there is a question which arises : just how arrogant can this government become? If a government can and will side step a ruling by our legal system what will they do next? Further, the class size and composition language was there to assist students by creating a positive learning environment for all students.
If the teachers don't fight for the children's right for a fair educational environment from the Special needs to the Gifted-who will? And where did the 138 million dollars slated for the "children of British Columbia and teachers" come from? J. Shimokura