Vancouver DPAC asks for input

Hello All,
Vancouver DPAC would like to thank you Charles for setting up this weblog! We need a way to collect parent input during this strike and would like to ask you to collect some info. for us on this blog. Since we’re going to be supporting our kids leaning at home for the next while (hopefully a short while), we’d like to trade coping strategies and hear what is going on with parents. We met with our BCTF reps. this morning and will pass any information on to them, and they will try to help – grade 12 students are worried about entrance requirements and the BCTF is working this out with the universities. The BCTF conveyed that they want to go to the bargaining table, and ask that we encourage the government to join them there.
Vancouver DPAC acknowledges that, in our district, learning conditions have been deteriorating and everyone should get back to the table and improve them.
Thanks!
Claudia Ferris Vancouver DPAC

[Please post comments related to this posting. thanks weblog ed]

Vancouver School Board Press release

Oct. 6, 2005
VSB trustees deeply frustrated over necessity for teachers’ strike

Trustees of the Vancouver School Board (VSB) say the provincial government has not acted in the best of interests of students in
provoking a province-wide shutdown of the public education system.

“Bill 12 does nothing to ensure long-term stability in public education,” says Allan Wong, VSB Vice-chairperson. “Legislated solutions and imposed settlements have contributed to the deterioration of relations among those who care about the quality of educational offerings for our students.”

Wong says the VSB has worked hard to repair those relations, which will suffer setbacks because of Bill 12. “We are still living with the scars of previous contract disputes that were settled through legislation.”

Trustees believe that long-term stability of the system is best achieved through respectful and productive labor relations, not by the heavy hand of government. They say Bill 12 will provide a short-term solution that will only exacerbate a long-term problem. Wong says a strike is the teachers’ last resort in their attempt to improve education for the province’s students.

“We call on the provincial government to do what’s right for public education,” says Wong, “and allow teachers to exercise their right to a freely-negotiated collective agreement.”

Wong says teachers want to meet the needs of their students, but are getting no help from government.

“When almost 91 per cent of the province’s teachers vote to take such action,” says Wong, “the provincial government needs to realize that these professionals have been deeply offended.”

For further information:

Allan Wong, VSB Vice-chairperson, 604-437-6074

New Proposals weblog temporarily dedicated to support of BC Teacher’s Strike

Dear All,

For the moment this blog is being temporarily dedicated in support of the BC Teachers Strike. We will return to ‘normal’ after Bill 12, which imposes a contract on teachers, has been withdrawn

In solidarity,

Charles

PS: A combination of factors came together and the blog never returned to it’s original purpose. It remains a blog in support of public edcuation. The journal is on a separate site www.newproposals.ca.
crm, may 7, 2007