By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON December 8, 2012 Parent of elementary school students are ticked over the now more than probable possibility that the people who teach their children will go on a one day strike.
The province’s high school students are “mad as hell and not going to take it anymore” and plan to take their own actions.
Will Nelson high school students be on the streets next week?
The social media within the high school sector is abuzz with plans to just not walk into the high schools on Monday of next week. There is no one spokesperson for the movement; there doesn`t appear to be a focus but that`s the way today`s youth works; they have their own network that runs beneath the radar screen. They organize themselves differently.
But what if all the high school students at Nelson High and Robert Bateman High on New Street just lined the sidewalks holding hand written placards saying we won`t be students until you guys behave like teachers!
Could Robert Bateman students join Nelson High students in a city wide high school students walkout?
Imagine seeing two groups of a couple of hundred students asking that teachers just do the job they are paid to do, rather well paid we might add.
High school students have taken to the streets in the past to make their point; in this situation the Robert Bateman High School made their point.
Could be interesting. If you see crowds of students on the sidewalks on Monday – honk your horn in support, This mess within the educational system has to be resolved – teachers do very, very well and need to understand the economic reality the province faces.
The McGuinty Liberal government was very good to the educational system when times were better. Class sizes were reduced; all day kindergarten was put in place. McGuinty was an “educational” Premier. Time for the teachers to take a break and let someone else stick their snouts in the trough.
If you talk to most of the students who are protesting you will discover that they are protesting the government, not the teachers. Even students can understand that the situation is more complex than you have outlined in this article.
Most students understand that what is happening here has NOTHING to do with teachers wanting money. It’s about how completely undemocratic it is to take away teachers’ rights and benefits without any discussion and then to also BAN them from striking. NO ONE wants to strike- teachers lose pay when they strike and they know uninformed people will blame them for the inconvenience… but what else is there to do when your rights have been taken away from you??
Watch this video for a start:
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1300108–ontario-teacher-strikes-students-walk-out-in-protest-plan-big-rally-thursday
And by the way… teachers aren’t actually that “well paid”. Teachers start at about 35,000 a year after tax and that is after TWO expensive university degrees, lots of volunteering and many years of unemployment while they search for an open position. On average, teachers work anywhere from 60-80 hours a week when you take into account volunteering to coach sports or run clubs, as well as hours of marking and lesson planning. Teachers reach the top of their salary grid after 10 years of employment.
Oh, as for the “they get their summers off!” statement going around… Yes. They do. And they only get paid for 10 months of work. Most teachers will work a second job during the summer, whether that be tutoring, retail or summer school in order to maintain a decent wage.
How come no one complains this much about the money government officials make? Or oil barons? They make a heck of a lot more than teachers, and often all they are after is money!
Teachers teach because they love to do so. Not for money. This strike is about an assault on democracy that EVERY Canadian should be worried about. Think about any amazing teacher you have had. Now show some respect and support.
Study up.
Sincerely,
the informed.
You have, unfortunately, taken a rather narrow look at this issue. In fact, you have mis-read the situation entirely. Teachers HAVE agreed to a wage freeze to assist in a situation they did not create. They are protesting the government’s effort to take away their constitutional right to collective bargaining. In the future, please do not over-simplify complex situations. Providing a balanced, researched perspective is the hallmark of good journalism.
I agree with this comment. The potential action is against about what could be a precedent setting bill against organized labour ability to strike. Are students expected to understand that? For the record I am not a teacher and would be impacted on both the elementary and highschool strike action. Besides the Minister of Ed already has the legislative tools to force teachers back to work, and has indicated willingness to use them.