I’d like to share a few thoughts on the current teachers strike. As someone who has been in over 100 B.C. schools during the last three years giving child safety seminars, I feel I can give an objective opinion just by my observations and those of my staff.
B.C. needs more teachers in every single school! I say this because I’ve been able to observe the utter frustration of our students, kindergarten through Grade 12, at the lack of quality time available to them because our classrooms are over crowded.
They are not receiving the level of education they want and deserve. Our kids are angry about this!
Short-sighted redistricting and school closures have only exasperated this situation, which is getting closer to being dangerous by the moment.
Frustrated kids will vent their anger and frustration, one way or another. Was anti-bullying day just another “feel good” exercise, or are we really going to look at one of the systemic problems that cause bullying?
We need more teachers. We need a provincial government that will stop looking at the education ministry every time it needs to save money. We need politicians who will stop giving themselves pay raises every 14 months. We need politicians that practice what they preach. We need our politicians to take a five per cent pay cut and put that money into our kids future.
While you’re at it, take a 50 per cent expense account cut and throw that money into education! Be like the rest of us, and dine out once a month, not five nights a week.
Our kids deserve better! Give them a fighting chance at a future. Give them more teachers!
Steven Baird
Managing Director
Street Smart Kidz Canada