Editor: Joy Stadnyk makes some valid points in her letter (The Times, July 3.) However, she may not realize that the teachers did make cuts in their wage demands in order to reduce class size and limit the number of special needs students in their classrooms.
I am a retired teacher and have lived with this decision for many years, as it affects all later salary increases as well as pensions, which are based on earnings. What she may also not realize is that the Liberal government has since torn up that contract and increased class sizes and also increased the number of special needs students in any one class. They did not compensate the teachers for their losses in salary over the years.
Teachers do have concern for their students but must also be compensated for the five or more years of university with no pay.
The two months summer holidays are nice but not the great perk that many think. It takes at least two weeks to “wind down” from the hectic last month of school with marking, report card preparation, class “parties,” graduation ceremonies, etc. and at least a week before school opens to prepare for the next year.
There is no overtime pay or days in lieu of. These comments are not meant as complaining, as I had 36 years of very rewarding and interesting work, but I think people need to realize that teachers have needs and their students are one of, but not their only, consideration.
Lyle Phillips,
Langley
