Item Number One: A proposal to pay teachers more money should their class size exceed 30 students. Now we're not against that concept as a benchmark, but really, if we're all concerned about the learning curve and what's best for students, increasingly larger and larger classroom sizes is probably not the best solution to the educational requirements of students.
Any such proposal has the potential to be land mine for both sides in this dispute, should the teachers' sign off on the plan. then it sends the message that perhaps the dispute is about money after all.
As for the government, increasing classroom sizes clearly suggests that when it comes to the list of priorities at the Ministry of Education, workable classroom conditions certainly isn't high on the agenda.
Item Number Two: The rather strange suggestion that a net zero edict while not good for teachers, is somehow good for those that work for the BCTF. While any item composed by Jon Ferry tends to set the hair on fire at the BCTF, he does raise an interesting point, highlighting the dysfunction of the current labour climate within the BCTF itself.
While the union counters the argument of hypocrisy with any number of caveats, the simple fact that they are refusing the Provincial Government's net zero mandate, while at the same time using it in their own internal labour problems does raise a few eyebrows we would think.
The latest flash point between the two sides, the suggestion by Education Minister George Abbot that parents, having gone without report cards since September will receive back issues of their child's progress thus far, something that the BCTF President Susan Lambert says isn't going to happen. A theory backed up by more than a few labour observers who say that Abbot's proposal won't fly.
Of course there are many other strange twists and turns in this dispute, all of which we are sure will play out over the next few weeks, though not next week we imagine, what with a large number of BC schools closed for Spring Break and BCTF members gathering the week after in conclave at their Annual General Meeting March 17- 20.
In fact, because of the staggered nature of spring break in BC this year, some schools with two weeks, others with but one, we imagine that the battle lines will remain stationary until school is back in session for all and the provincial governments Bill 22 legislation finally becomes law.
Perhaps allowing both sides in the dispute to return with a more cooperative approach, one which maybe reduces the rhetoric and increases the communication possibilities, with an eye on what's best for education in British Columbia.
Then again, this is the province, where political optics seems to rule the day, and where anything resembling common sense, never seems to be able to find the intersections named common ground and common good.
Other items of interest from the week on the educational file can be found below.
Vancouver Province-- A little history: B. C. teachers' strikes are so last century
Vancouver Province-- More prep time just begets more prep time
Vancouver Province-- The upside of the teachers' strike? Time for play
Vancouver Province-- B. C. Teachers challenge Premier Clark to join them in the classroom
Vancouver Sun-- Bill 22 a complicated piece of legislation
Vancouver Sun-- Teachers strike -Facts and Fictions
Vancouver Sun-- Accounting firm finds millions for Vancouver schools
Vancouver Sun-- "We've only just begun," says BCTF prez Susan Lambert
Globe and Mail-- Long-running battle over education detention-worthy
Globe and Mail-- Returning B. C. teachers vow to keep up pressure against Bill 22
Globe and Mail-- Teachers' protest tactics have long roots in B. C.
Globe and Mail-- 'Retroactive' report cards latest battle ground
Georgia Straight-- BCTF vice president Glen Hansman shows that not all unions are settling for net-zero contracts
The Tyee-- Teachers delay job action vote
The Tyee-- BC Premier Clark's failure to debate education bill pathetic, says NDP's Horgan
The Tyee-- Picketing government office an act of solidarity: BCTF's Lambert
The Tyee-- School Dispute: Just the Facts, Please
Past items on Darcy about education:
Ms. Clark stays out of the spotlight during teacher's dispute
Educational End game in British Columbia
BC's strange little education job dispute
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