I am currently a Grade 12 student at Burnaby North Secondary, and I am writing this email in response to the current conflict with teachers in the province.
It has come to my understanding that legislation enforcing teachers to go back to school will soon be voted on. Even as people who have had no previous experience with unionized work, my peers and I can immediately see the unfairness of this legislation.
In comparison with the rest of Canada, British Columbia is a province high in population, and therefore more young minds to educate, yet the funds for our education are being lowered. I believe that taxpayers would want the best education for their children, as most have kids of their own, but with all the job action and reluctant negotiation (from the government side), it has become very distracting to learn.
However, despite there not being report cards, I believe that the level of learning has remained the same, as teachers are still doing their best teaching.
I have read and considered many facts and arguments about this subject, and the conclusion that I have come to is that the government is very unfair towards education. I simply do not understand why the government is unwilling to support students who will one day become citizens and voters, the ones that will shape the country. Teachers who have been with us, and will be with us for a total of 13 years, try their best to teach us morals and ethics alongside the regulated curriculum.
But how can we be expected to fully understand fairness and equality, especially in a country like Canada that is synonymous with fairness and equality, when the government does not at all reflect these values?
Many immigrants flock to British Columbia not only due to its proximity, but as well as the supposed better education quality. However, in comparison to other countries, especially in Europe, why does it seem like we have lower educational standards and unsatisfied teachers? And even through all the taxes and budgeting, B.C. still has the greatest disparity between the rich and the poor.
I truly appreciate all that a teacher does for us students, from countless hours of extra help, clubs, sports teams, and even special events at school that take countless hours of planning. Compared to the sleep-deprived students that they teach, teachers seem even more tired educating and supporting us students. I am very thankful to my teachers and will continue to support them.
Sherry Da, Burnaby
