I would like to voice my viewpoint on this teachers’ strike.
There are many viewpoints, pros and cons, about this whole mess, but it comes down to the children, right? I think not; their future is in the teachers’ hands, the good teachers who love their job regardless of any issues around them and the not-so-good ones who should take on a different profession.
I think one big thing that has been forgotten in this mess is who actually pays these teachers’ huge salaries, great benefits and pensions? We, the taxpayers, that’s who.
We employ them and we should stand up and have a say. There are issues that should be addressed, i.e. the children that need special attention – perhaps hiring more teachers who are trained to teach these special children.
To give all teachers (good and bad) in B.C. a salary increase is not in the best interest of our economy. They should be glad they have a job when there are a lot of unemployed out there with this employers’ market and so many looking for a job.
They have pensions and good benefits, where so many other companies don’t offer that. We as taxpayers should be able to report, from our children’s’ input, any teacher that is in the wrong profession. They should be accountable like anyone else in the working public.
If they don’t do their job they should be given warnings and then firing. I’m sure there are a lot of new graduates that would love the opportunity to start their career.
Enough is enough. Children come first is not the case here, and I don’t believe that all teachers are on board with what the union is doing, but those who are should rethink their position and stop using the children in all this. What example they are leaving for that generation?
If children come first, then stop fighting with the government, especially on a wage issue. Truly think about the children’s best interest and not your own.
If the wages were not an issue, then you may have more public support (assuming there are taxpayers who feel the same as I do).
I do understand that some teachers do extra hours, but if they took into account their salaries and the hours, regular and overtime (after eight hours) they actually work, (i.e. the working year of a non-teacher of 40 hrs/wk) I’m sure their calculations would come up as being still a great salary most would love to have.
Now they do get time off for Christmas, spring break and summer that they need to budget for, but come on give me a break.
Jean Irwin
