Dear editor,I’d like to share a few thoughts on the current teachers’ strike.As someone who has been in over 100 B.C. schools during the past three years, giving child safety seminars, I feel I can give a objective opinion, just by my observations and those of my staff.B.C. needs more teachers in every single school! I say this because I’ve been able to observe the utter frustration of our students, K through 12, at the lack of quality time available to them because our classrooms are overcrowded and they are not receiving the level of education they want and deserve.Our kids are angry about this! Really angry.Shortsighted re-districting and ridiculous school closures have only exasperated this situation, which is getting closer to being dangerous by the moment. Frustrated kids will vent their anger and frustration! One way or another.Was Anti-Bullying Day just another “feel good” exercise, or are we really going to look at one of the systemic problems that cause bullying?We need more teachers. We need a provincial government that will stop looking at the Education Ministry every time it needs to save money.We need politicians who will stop giving themselves pay raises every 14 months. We need politicians that practise what they preach! We need our politicians to take a five-per-cent pay cut and put that money into our kids’ future.While you’re at it, take a 50-per-cent expense account cut and throw that money into education. Be like the rest of us, and dine out once a month, not five nights a week.Our kids deserve better. Give them a fighting chance at a future. Give them more teachers.Steven Baird,Comox ValleyEditor’s note: Steven Baird is the managing director of Street Smart Kidz Canada.

Comox Valley Record