Many a parent is sighing a huge breath of relief just about now. Their children safely negotiated the summer of 2012 and after the flurry of Labour Day weekend festivities, school shopping, and grumpy children not used to getting up in the morning along with the birds, those same parents are savouring the relative sanity of a house devoid of school age children.
Just the other day a friend and I were talking about the expense of school year startup. Along with the usual expense of new shoes, clothes and backpacks, she had the added expense of pencils, pens, crayons and such things.
According to her, she was expected to not only buy for her children, but instead was required to buy a larger than needed quantity which would then be put into a communal catchall so that others, whose parents didn’t have the means to provide all that was needed, would be provided for as well.
I’m all for helping out those of lesser means, don’t get me wrong, but somehow that struck me as dead wrong. These parents (who both work), are likely like most families nowadays; they exist paycheque to paycheque and while they are better off than some, still have a budget to follow.
We then reminisced about the days when pencils, notebooks and all the other educational tools were provided for by the schools. Yes, I understand those were different financial times and nowadays school districts are forced to cut all the extras in order to survive.
Along with the cuts there is little room for pay increases or added benefits for teachers. The teachers, in response to their new (and in some of their opinions, anemic) collective agreement have refused to volunteer for those extracurricular activities which are expected (but not required) of them. Those activities, such as coaching sports teams and leading school clubs, are important to the well-being of students every bit as much as formal education is. Education expands the mind, while extracurricular activities balance the whole.
Children should look at school as being much more than a place to become educated, instead they should view the school as a community resource, much the way our forefathers did. Back then schools were used for almost every community function and friends and family gathered there frequently.
Simply put, school was a fun place to be for everyone and it brought community together.
That being said, I don’t blame the teachers for their stance.
They are being asked to do more for less and under conditions which are sometimes onerous at best.
Throw in the fact that it took them almost two years to strike the deal and are faced with yet another struggle come June 30, 2013 when their agreement is set to expire, and you can see why resentment is bubbling under the surface.
I have great respect for teachers. They spend more time with your children than you do during the school year and have great responsibility, but no teeth to carry out their duties.
They are not rich and they sometimes have to put up with parents who believe their Johnny can do no wrong. While none of us wants our children to be disciplined by the strap, like in the old days, today’s teachers have little leeway when it comes to order and control in their own classrooms.
So, tomorrow morning, when you are savouring your coffee and the peace and quiet of the moment, please take a moment to reflect upon today’s educators.
For the most part they are dedicated individuals who truly care about education and your child.
To those teachers, I say thank you and wish you a great school year.
