Islands students are getting an extra-long weekend, as BC teachers will be on strike on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. In a letter sent home with all students March 1, superintendent Angus Wilson asked parents to keep their children home for the three-day strike. Although schools will be open, school buses will be cancelled and there will be no instruction. The situation is a bit unclear at this point, however, as the provincial government is trying to pass legislation that will make it illegal for teachers to strike, Mr. Wilson wrote. Once the legislation passes, the strike could be over; however, it could also take a couple of weeks for the legislation to pass. Meanwhile, Haida Gwaii Teachers’ Association president Evelyn von Almassy refused Friday morning to speak to the Observer, saying she would be too busy to talk to the media until late next week. Ms von Almassy did pass along a BC Teachers’ Federation message that explains what teachers don’t like about the government legislation. According to the BCTF, the legislation puts no limits on class sizes and no limits to the numbers of special needs students in classes, contains no protection for teachers from unjust evaluations, hiring practices or firing practices, and contains no salary or benefit increases for teachers.
