B.C. teachers' struggle

10 posts / 0 new

Wed, 2014-09-10 22:08

Risa

Honourable Christy Clark, Premier of British Columbia

Honourable Christy Clark,

In 1982 I left Czechoslovakia after many years of struggling to bring in a government that would honour the desire of people for a political system that would be based on basic democratic principles that would applied to all people. When I came to Canada as a stateless personnel I thought that my struggle for a better political system would end. I believed that the Western democracy is the extension of people democratic will.

I attended various Canadian universities and was able to study subjects I was unable to study in my home country. I acquired a Bachelor of Education and two Master degrees. I became a teacher and in 2001 moved to British Columbia. During my teaching career I worked mostly at First Nation schools and finally I got a teaching position as a TTOC in the public school system.

Being a teacher, I saw my role as a promoter of democracy, social justice and free education for all.

I believe that the role of the teacher is to spark in our students the desire to be the future leaders and promoters of democracy, social justice and a political system that is open to all and that promotes the ideal of human society. Now when comparing both systems, the one I lived before and the one I live in now, I see some similarities between both. The main similarity is the struggle of both political systems to control the teachers' independence and professionalism and the public education. There is one more aspect in British Columbia that is louring in: the possibility of slow privatization of public education and the opportunity that not only the politicians would control the public education, but the private corporations would be the major driving force deciding the faith of public education.

Therefore, I am back standing strong against the notion of your government’s intentions to control the independence of public education. Its slow starvation due to your financial decisions may lead to its partial or complete privatization. Unfortunately, in the end the struggle for a better and socially just society never ends. I strongly believe that we need a free independent public education for all, because only this kind of education would give all students the opportunity to grow to become new political leaders, community leaders, social justice activists and valuable members of our global society. I believe that only free and fully funded public education would erase the social and educational differences between those who can or cannot afford the same standard education for all.

I hope that at the end you would realize that fully funded and independent public education is in the best interests of British Columbians.

Yours truly,

Richard Pesik, Port Alberni

Issues Pages:

Labour

Thu, 2014-09-11 00:25

jas

Thanks for posting this. I think most people agree with these sentiments. No one wishes to see a radical change in the delivery of education in this province. The BC Liberal government is ignoring its constituents and its mandate, to pursue instead an ideological tangent that few would support. They have forgotten that they are public servants and are priortizing ideology over rationality.

Fri, 2014-09-12 12:50

Risa

Thank you.

Fri, 2014-09-12 18:20

Risa

Please feel free to share it.

Fri, 2014-09-12 19:06

jas

And don't be discouraged by the appalling lack of response you find here on Babble*. Most Babblers also aren't aware that the largest mine tailings pond spill in history occurred in BC last month, becoming one of Canada's largest, single-incident industrial/environmental disasters.

(*not Rabble)

On second thought, maybe you should be.

Sun, 2014-09-14 21:32

Unionist

[url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-teachers-strike-talks.... teachers' strike: Talks underway under a media blackout[/url]

Quote:

The two sides in the B.C. teachers' dispute bargained all day Saturday until just past midnight Sunday.

Neither side was willing to comment on the status of the talks, but mediator Vince Ready confirmed to reporters bargaining was, in fact, underway.

That seemed to indicate progress of a sort as the parties have been unable to engage in substantive talks and Ready had previously said the two sides were just too far apart for any meaningful involvement on his part.

However, there is still little clarity about the nature of the bargaining or its scope as both sides have agreed not to talk until there is something to say.

Fri, 2014-09-19 23:46

jas

Lessons learned from BC Teachers' Strike

Sat, 2014-09-20 11:35

Unionist

Jerry Dias, Hassan Yussuf, Christy Clark, and Jim Iker?? Interesting glimpse behind the scenes, if it's factual:

[url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/the-secret-meeting-... secret meeting that broke the B.C. teachers’ impasse[/url]

Sat, 2014-09-20 15:57

jjuares

jas wrote:

Lessons learned from BC Teachers' Strike

Excellent article!

The Liberals may try to weaken public education through the voucher system. What better way to weaken a union than by opening non-union shops. The argument for vouchers is particularly weak. There are several public systems which offer huge diversity as part of a public system. Edmonton Public Schools offers hockey, ballet, religious, girl and many other programs. You can have choice under a public system. But choice is always trotted out to sell the voucher system.

Sat, 2014-09-20 19:01

#10

jas

Unionist wrote:

Jerry Dias, Hassan Yussuf, Christy Clark, and Jim Iker?? Interesting glimpse behind the scenes, if it's factual:

[url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/the-secret-meeting-... secret meeting that broke the B.C. teachers’ impasse[/url]

This is interesting if true. I wonder how open she could be on other issues if you just get her in the right environment.