Teachers are actually saying that a 15 per cent wage increase will buy them respect, and that this exorbitant increase in salary will in some nebulous way improve the quality of schooling for the students.
In fact, to balance the books in these economically desperate times, money must be taken from hiring more teachers, providing more books, equipment and teaching aids in order to buy the teachers’ respect.
No, the teachers have not bought this writer’s respect or sympathy.
My sympathy goes to the students and to the parents of these students who must scramble, lose work and wages, etc. to care for their children who cannot attend school to be taught their curriculum in a timely fashion.
These professionals not only have two summer months to upgrade their teaching credentials, but also demand professional days during the year, to do what? I don’t know? Do you? Why are you parents and other interested parties supporting these people?
I suggest you write your MLA, to protest this extravagant demand on our increasingly fragile economy.
And also that you support the concept of the educational voucher system of education funding, where parents can use the voucher to take their children to the school of their choice, public or private, to fund their child’s education at the best possible school available to them.
We cannot afford the teachers’ union demands.
If, as a last resort, it takes legislation, then so be it.
Vern Polotikis, Vernon
