DEAR EDITOR:
I do not see how the reported debacle (Student wins his battle, Burnaby NOW, Oct. 5) will stop caucus from repeating the same authoritarian behaviour in the future, but it is certainly an achievement by the community to be cherished. I appreciate the courageous reporting of Jennifer Moreau and dedicated people like Mr. Briemberg who helped defend my constitutional right to freedom of expression.
The root of the residing problem is the undemocratic control high-level actors in administration manoeuvre over their colleagues in the BCTF. As someone who witnessed the inner workings of the student newspaper club, which was led by an excellent and professional voluntary teacher, I know how educators are forced to comply with unethical requirements (such as, in this case, participating in redaction and censorship).
These things would not happen if we had a functional democracy, and I personally believe an institutional role such as the principal is inherently problematic by its very nature with respect to the public educational system. So much power cannot be concentrated into one illegitimate position when the quality of learning is at stake.
Perhaps teachers should include academic freedom in their strike demands, as well. I honestly fear the conditions my children will have to tolerate if actions such as mine are not repeated by others.
Elias Ishak, Burnaby
