Secondary school student walkouts protesting the loss of recess in the Coast Mountains school district have continued for the third day in a row in Terrace.
Twenty students, mostly from Parkside Secondary School and joined by a handful from Skeena Junior and Caledonia Senior Secondary, walked out compared to yesterday’s 60 from the three schools and from Thornhill Junior.
They walked to the school district’s office with signs of protest, asking to speak to the Coast Mountains superintendent Nancy Wells.
“Our role models in the highest level of society regard our break as a privilege,” said seventeen-year-old organizer Jessica McCallum-Miller.
The students walked out at approximately 11 a.m. to protest the loss of morning recess which was cut because school district staff say they are no longer able supervise the break and perform their regular tasks.
School district staff have been supervising for a month now at Coast Mountains schools after phase one of job action has kept teachers from previous supervision duties.
Wells came to the door but told the students to return to their classes.
She called principals from both Skeena Junior Secondary and Parkside Secondary school to collect the protestors.
Wells explained that the schools will be dealing with their students individually regarding the matter.
“The first two days were really focused on the issues, but now it is more focused on the fact that the sun is shining,” Wells said.
Generally speaking, students will be expected to make up for lost time, Wells added.
No students from Thornhill were at today’s protest.
McCallum-Miller said if the students don’t get their breaks back that the next step for them would be to find lawyers to fight for them.
School district staff continue to assist principals and vice principals with morning and after-school supervision.
