Dear Editor
I am a retired teacher and a teacher on call as well as a longtime member of this community. I have strong feelings about Bill 22 and how it disregards democracy and any concern for the children of our community as well as the rest of B.C.
Teachers will now be given more special needs students and bigger classes and expected to work more miracles than they have in the past. Over the years teachers in this province have chosen little to no raises to keep class sizes down and reduce the number of special needs children in each class, so as to meet the needs of every student. How does our government repay them? Shred their contracts and vote themselves a raise. Negotiate, this government, no way!
When my children went to elementary school in Golden, they had music and band teachers, librarians for research projects, and a program for the gifted students. Now my grandchildren are in B.C. schools but do they get those services, no. Is it because they don’t deserve it? Well their government thinks they don’t.
When a teacher gets a classroom it might have some 1950s texts and some old torn posters and it is up to him or her to fill in the gaps. I have seen teachers put out thousands of dollars on materials, books, programs and art supplies as well as donate hours of their time on sports teams, learning clubs and after hour activities.
I am proud to say that these people have been my colleagues.
By not negotiating with teachers to get a fair contract our government is operating like a dictatorship. We will do what we want and you teachers best get out there and volunteer your time or we will replace you! What do they think teachers have been doing, eating lunch?
Whether or not teachers get a raise does not affect me financially, I am pensioned off. But what about my grandson who is gifted, or the one who has severe autism, and the future of all those children I’ve taught and care very deeply about. We all need to do what we can to change education in B.C.
We need a government that treats our children better than they treat themselves! I think we need an election, oh did I mention less than one year to go until we vote?
Sincerely,
Kaye Larwill
Golden
