“If you can read this, thank a teacher.” Yeah right. My kids were reading before the teachers got involved, but feel free to take credit nonetheless.

Down with the lieberals. GENERAL STRIKE NOW. We won the HST and can force the lieberals out now. Stick together everyone. Solidarity all the way. Time for an election NOW.

Apparently there are some people out there who haven’t realized the value of having teachers. I for one wish that I knew of the noon hour rally or I would have been there for our teachers.

It is always interesting to read the comments from uninformed or misinformed people. They rant on with conviction and yet they are clueless about the facts.

Whether you agree or disagree with the wages that teachers are paid, surely you must be able to understand that the government is yet again flaunting the law and constitution.

Don’t you have a problem with that? Or is it OK as long as it is about someone else?

Correction – I mean “flouting” not flaunting.

If the teacher’s union wasn’t so greedy my2cents then perhaps the government wouldn’t be taking the stance they are? I have no qualms with the teachers wages but most of their other demands are absolutely ridiculous.

Teachers in some respects are the victims of their own success. With the two parent working family, teachers are the defacto care providers of children, which makes them an essential service, which makes it difficult for society to grant them strike privileges similar to any other trade union – because there’s be no one to look after the kids. So with the big hammer they’ve got, their right to strike has to be curbed by legislation. Now, if we wanted to go to a free market education system, whereby parents were given a cash voucher, and could send their kids to any school – unionized – or not unionized – public or private – then the argument could be made for unrestricted strike privileges by unionized teachers, because parents would have alternatives other than the one held by the monopoly of the BCTF.

And remember, when you honk in support, you’re not only honking for the kids, you’re honking to pay more taxes to the extra teachers needed to instruct them when average class sizes are reduced – so be prepared to pay for your conviction.

I agree that some of their initial demands were a bit “out there”. I think they have removed most of them though. They should have taken a more moderate approach from the start, then perhaps they would have had more sympathy.

faxman details

johnybelt dtails

true fiberal supporters.

You’ve lost me there seamutt. Did your teachers not teach you how to form a coherent sentence? :)

Funny you say that faxman. I myself would take the net zero but I am not willing to take the chance that my Grade 4 son will be in a class of more than 30 with more than 3 special needs. That’s for the kids now for myself, I am not willing to let go of my seniority. Just like any employee, I’ve earned it. Don’t bother replying to telling me that you or anyone else for that matter would welocme any employer that would take your seniority away. I don’t buy it. Yes I am thinking about myself sometimes, just like any other employee.

Is there an expected influx of special needs kids? I keep hearing about four or five, even more special needs kids per class. If they are not there now then how does legislation change that?
PS – and no Sue, looking out for number one is normal. Just tell me you want more money and give arguements. Its the smoke and mirrors from the BCTF that has most peoples hackles up.

All these teachers think they’re so valuable because they hand out assignments and tell students to read text books. Big deal. Overpaid and under worked whiners! I used to play on a hockey team with a bunch of teachers and all they’d ever do is whine whine whine. I have too many students, someone across the country makes more money than me, blah blah blah.

The only thing I agree with them is about the “special needs” students. They should have their own classroom or better yet, school. Are they even able to learn anything?? I also dont feel class sizes are too large.

15% raise? Go screw yourselves!

Well then Sue, why doesn’t your union shelve their teacher-centric demands and push for the changes that will actually affect class size? Upping the number of sick days and vacation days (as just one example) will not do anything to adjust class sizes. Will it?

I have no issues with your seniority it just shouldn’t be used to guarantee your job if you’re incompetent.

Hundreds gathered?
Try thousands…more than the media seems to want to admit to.
Why is that?

Sorry…I mean Victoria.

The BCTF is one of the few looney unions left in BC. ONE negotiated settlement in 30+ years speaks volumes. Even the pulp unions, who used to wobble the job at the drop of a hat now work closely with the companies to see that both sides prosper.

Many other unions have settled under the net zero umbrella and at the end of the day so must they. The hospital workers are already running ads in advance of their negotiations and if the teachers are given 15%, the HEU will expect the same.

The teachers received a raise of between 2 and 2.5% each year under the last agreement, how many people in the private sector can say that….very few.

Has the BCTF made any suggestions on how the education system could save money, such as consolidate half empty schools no they want full benefits including sick leave for on call teachers. That won’t be abused….. I haven’t been called in for a few weeks….cough, cough.

0%,0%,0% None monetary items to an mediator. If you want Alberta wages…move to Alberta.

“If the teacher’s union wasn’t so greedy my2cents then perhaps the government wouldn’t be taking the stance they are? I have no qualms with the teachers wages but most of their other demands are absolutely ridiculous”

Thats why it’s called “negotiations” faxman.
You go in demanding the moon and come out after negotiating it down to a small piece of cheese. Quit your Whining. LOL!

“Its the smoke and mirrors from the BCTF that has most peoples hackles up”

Some hackles of the uninformed maybe. However it’s very obvious to everyone in their right mind that the real smoke and mirrors are coming from the BC legislature.

It is unfortunate that many people only see this as teachers wanting a raise. I wonder if any of those people have been in a classroom lately? I suggest you read Bill 22, if you can understand it; maybe then you will realize that it is not just about teachers. This has become about unions right to bargain fairly, and how if the government doesn’t like something, they can just make a law about it.

I’m really not seeing anything in the list of demands that will have any effect on the classroom. Please enlighten me.

http://bctf.ca/publications/BargainingBulletin.aspx?id=25138

The BCTF record on reaching a settlement shows that they must of went to negotiating class on the short bus.

Honestly people. Do you have no clue how to negotiate. That is what you are supposed to do. Give the government the demands that you want to see and the government will counter your demand with a rediculously lowball one. For the people out there thinking that the teachers are asking to much obviously you have not negotiated before.

Not so random,

“The only thing I agree with them is about the “special needs” students. They should have their own classroom or better yet, school. Are they even able to learn anything?? I also dont feel class sizes are too large.”

Really? What an archaic view point.

I actually can not even believe that you would post such a thing. I am offended for all the families out there with children with special needs.
I believe your viewpoints belong back in the 60’s.

I agree, you have to integrate special needs, and the teachers can just suck it up and get to teaching. If I hired negotiators to hammer out an agreement between my workers and the employers and they floundered like these yahoos have, for a year, I’d fire the lot of them and find someone intelligent to do the work, on BOTH SIDES. This is ridiculous.

If you can read this, thank a taxpayer.

I am finding it hard to support the teachers or the government!

I think the teachers should get extra support staff for special needs students and smaller class sizes, but I think they make enough money for the hours they spend in class.

As far as the current government goes, they are bullies and keep pushing their agendas on the taxpayer – such as HST, smart meters, olympics, etc.

We, the taxpayers, should have our say about these things because we have to pay for them!

It would be interesting to know how many of the teachers in BC voted for the Liberals in the last election.

faxman details.

A friend commented today that his grade 1 daughter built a small sign in support of the teachers on her day at home Monday. Neither are teachers and thought it was cute non the less.

The BCTF and its members must leave the kids out of this. Teachers don’t have a bctf pulpit in classrooms. Any examples of this exploitation must be reported.

No I don’t detail seamutt; I leave that to the people at the car wash.

Who do you report it to, my kids at PGSS for not joining the walkout were made to watch a pro teacher/BCTF anti-government YouTube video during their class time, the others teacher spent the class time telling him why he should join the walkout.

why does the BCTF send union reps to education classrooms to spout off about how unfair and bad everything is? they send people to raise the hackles of students who want to be teachers but not necessarily in the public sector. and the students who do go to the public sector already have this chip on their shoulder about their profession. a teacher said in a quote on this site, “you need a brain in your head to be a teacher”? why can’t the BCTF let these individuals make up their own minds about what’s right and wrong. that doesn’t sound like classic “professional” thinking, that sounds like mob mentality…

In my day when I went to school they calleds it “current events” twospeed99.

Would watching a report from Global TV be considered bias if it was shown during school, twospeed99?

Just because you don’t like the message does not mean it isn’t what is happening.

Perhaps if a History teacher taught about the 60’s civil rights movement in the southern states, not all people would agree with the lesson as presented. As I am sure with any such subject concerning “current events” bias is part of it.

may I add the Pro-D days are a joke as well…I answer to a licensing body which requires me to obtain a certain amount of Continuing Education (CE) credits per year to maintain my license to practise and prove I am staying current. I work fulltime, 8 hours a day and 5 days a week and any professional development I do is on my own time. as far as I know, teachers don’t have a license, they have a union, they don’t have lisencing fees, they have union dues. I am made accountable for my work, can the same be said of teachers?

when you say
…I answer to a licensing body which requires me to obtain a certain amount of Continuing Education (CE) credits per year to maintain my license to practise and prove I am staying current… I am made accountable for my work, can the same be said of teachers?

***Teachers DO have a licensing body (BC College of Teachers), they DO pay licensing fees ($120/yr), and if they DON’T stay current, they are held accountable and hear it from between 150-200 kids and parents per year (for Secondary teachers).

YOU SAY:I work fulltime, 8 hours a day and 5 days a week and any professional development I do is on my own time.

***Teachers work AT LEAST 8 hours per day, 5 days per week also (planning and preparation time plus 1 hour/day of marking time factored in), and that does NOT include ANY sort of unpaid extracurricular activities that they volunteer for, such as sports or clubs.

***When Professional Development days were created years ago, they were ADDED to the school year and are SELF-FUNDED as well – teachers direct a portion of their pay each year to be set aside to be used for Professional development.

Imonai, you say “as far as I know” but it appears you don’t know very much. That is okay though, as there are probably teachers around who can help you understand things instead of jumping to uneducated conclusions.

Hey not-so-random:
“The only thing I agree with them is about the “special needs” students. They should have their own classroom or better yet, school. Are they even able to learn anything?? I also dont feel class sizes are too large.”

I’m guessing you are not the parent of a child who has trouble learning, let alone a child who has actual special needs but can still walk and talk and think and feed himself. Do you have any ideas about how to help these people become a part of society once they are adults, or do you want to shut them up in a different big building, this one for adults that are different?

You must be right about teachers having it easy – I mean you’re probably know as much as them about how to teach…I mean YOU went to school for 10+ years, so you’re an expert. I am sure I could fix a car as well as any mechanic, since I drive every day.

Let’s think about taxes, who pays them and how much money the taxpayers of BC have lost because Campbell’s Liberals have given so many corporate tax breaks to the rich. The Government gave us taxpayers all a little tax break when they came to power, but then they clawed it all back – and MORE – through extra user fees and charges. Meanwhile, they gave their corporate sponsors HUGE tax breaks and haven’t held them accountable for taking the money and running. We’ve all heard that Jim Pattison pays less income tax than his secretary…someone has been getting rich, and it isn’t the workers of BC and it ISN’T the small business owners either…

Maybe there wouldn’t be ANY problem giving people a raise that keeps up with inflation if the government started collecting the money we British Columbians deserve for the trees and coal and gas and electricity that is leaving our province. Or if they kept honest books (and no, the Liberals are not the only party to play with numbers).

Don’t fall for the story the rich people want all of us small guys to believe.

Let’s think about taxes, who pays them and how much money the taxpayers of BC have lost because Campbell’s Liberals have given so many corporate tax breaks to the rich. The Government gave us taxpayers all a little tax break when they came to power, but then they clawed it all back – and MORE – through extra user fees and charges. Meanwhile, they gave their corporate sponsors HUGE tax breaks and haven’t held them accountable for taking the money and running. We’ve all heard that Jim Pattison pays less income tax than his secretary…someone has been getting rich, and it isn’t the workers of BC and it ISN’T the small business owners either…

Maybe there wouldn’t be ANY problem giving people a raise that keeps up with inflation if the government started collecting the money we British Columbians deserve for the trees and coal and gas and electricity that is leaving our province. Or if they kept honest books (and no, the Liberals are not the only party to play with numbers).

Don’t fall for the story the rich people want all of us small guys to believe.

Simple economics. you want more for education, Ok, we will take it out of Health Care. no, Ok than out of the Social Services! Oh you don’t like that, than out of the Highways and Transportation system. Oh now your complaining about the highways, Ok, we will take it out of our pockets.

Thank you 1AThemHartBoys. I am reposting their above post because it is an example of arguing with facts. These are not made up assumptions passed around from 6-9am at the local A&W. The assumption around pro-d days is a particular fallacy continually thrown around by those who do not actually have any facts of statistics.

“when you say
…I answer to a licensing body which requires me to obtain a certain amount of Continuing Education (CE) credits per year to maintain my license to practise and prove I am staying current… I am made accountable for my work, can the same be said of teachers?

***Teachers DO have a licensing body (BC College of Teachers), they DO pay licensing fees ($120/yr), and if they DON’T stay current, they are held accountable and hear it from between 150-200 kids and parents per year (for Secondary teachers).

YOU SAY:I work fulltime, 8 hours a day and 5 days a week and any professional development I do is on my own time.

***Teachers work AT LEAST 8 hours per day, 5 days per week also (planning and preparation time plus 1 hour/day of marking time factored in), and that does NOT include ANY sort of unpaid extracurricular activities that they volunteer for, such as sports or clubs.

***When Professional Development days were created years ago, they were ADDED to the school year and are SELF-FUNDED as well – teachers direct a portion of their pay each year to be set aside to be used for Professional development.

Imonai, you say “as far as I know” but it appears you don’t know very much. That is okay though, as there are probably teachers around who can help you understand things instead of jumping to uneducated conclusions.”

He spoke on March, the education, health care monies went into the fibolympics and the tens of billions given over to the Independent Power Producers.

Taxed out

since when do you discuss current events in math class !!!

and when is someones personal political views that benefit themselves considered current events ??

bizarre argument really !!

No where did you say math class twospeed99.

It was your opinion that this lesson taught to your kids was a personal political view.

And we have seen your opinion on this site enough to know your opinion isn’t worth reading.

you not only read it, you commented on it.

Are you serious that a teacher in the middle of a wage dispute is not expressing his personal views when discussing his unions business during class time to the students that refused to join a walkout.

As for getting in a war of childish insults with you which is what your kind does when people disagree with your slant, won’t waste my time.

People are becoming very informed on this issue and I can guarantee you that does not bode well for the BCTF or the teachers.

The BC Government should have an ad with two Eskimos sitting in the snow with one saying to the other,”If I give you 15% of my whale, I will have to give everyone 15% of my whale.

Like I said with my example everyone has a different bias on any subject. A civil right lesson would be told differently coming from a black teacher than a white southern baptist.

The teacher probably presented both sides in the lesson to your children and you are upset that your children see the dispute differently than you do.