Some parents of Armstrong Elementary students are upset that teachers have cancelled a longtime annual field trip due to the partial strike.
"(The students) have anticipated and look forward to celebrating the end of their elementary school years at Armstrong. Unfortunately, for those kids, they are now learning the meaning of disappointment," said Janice Beecroft, who has two kids attending Armstrong.
The school's Grade 7 students usually go to Timberline Ranch in Maple Ridge for two-and-ahalf days in the summer, a tradition that's been taking place for more than 20 years. But in a Jan. 24 letter to Grade 7 parents, Armstrong teaching staff warned that there is a strong possibility the trip will not go ahead because of the job action.
"Timberline requires us to make a commitment to the camp by the end of this month, and in consideration of our job action, we are unable to make that commitment at this time," the letter states.
Contract negotiations between the provincial government and the B.C. Teachers' Federation started in spring but little progress was made, and the union called a partial strike in September. Teachers have been refusing to do administrative work in an attempt to pressure their employer without impacting the classroom.
"Phase 1 of the teachers' job action was not intended to affect children," Beecroft said. "Can anyone tell me how this is in the best interest of the children?"
Richard Storch, president of the Burnaby Teachers' Association, told the NOW that field trips at the elementary level, as always, are optional and that he visited Armstrong to clarify that.
The teachers then stuck to the cancellation plan and issued the letter, even though extracurricular activities are not supposed to be impacted by the strike.
"They feel that right now they are possibly not being respected because what's going on at the bargaining table," Storch said. "There's some people who are feeling we've done this all the time before, but this year is different. We're in job action right now. I can voluntarily decide to withdraw some things whether they are part of the (Labour Relations Board) ruling or not."
Beecroft acknowledged that teachers have the right not to volunteer.
"But if a group decides to cancel a 20year-old tradition, I can't help but wonder how this is an individual decision," she said.
Beecroft is also asking what's going to happen with the field trip funds. Parents took over the fundraising this year, because the job action precludes teachers from handling money. According to the district, $1,750 was raised for the field trip. The teachers' letter suggests they will find some other way to spend the money.
"Because the Grade 7s have raised a significant amount of money over the past two years, we feel that we need to use the money for a year-end experience that meets our objectives of being educational, fun and developing a sense of community among the Grade 7 students," the letter states. "Please be assured the monies raised by the Grade 7s will be used accordingly."
That's something Beecroft takes issue with.
"For teachers to say they are going to use it accordingly is unacceptable," she said.
Storch said if parents have concerns about how the money will be spent, they should raise that with the teachers through the parent advisory council.
Beecroft also pointed out that some schools are continuing field trips, while Armstrong's has been cancelled.
"This job action is affecting the children. It is not status quo at all schools. Every school district in B.C. is treating job action differently. There is no unity, no guidance or no direction given from the BCTF," she said.
In response, Storch said everything teachers do or don't do affects the kids, but there's a bigger picture.
"The core service we provide to students (is education)," he said. "All the other stuff is extra."
Storch said he hopes parents would be very concerned about inadequate funding from the provincial government and the deterioration of services to students in the core area of basic public education.
"That, as teachers, is something we are trying to highlight," he said.
To read the teachers' letter and a list of what the strike covers, go to Jennifer Moreau's blog at www.burnabynow.com.
