Dear Editor:
It's the last days of school and no one wants to think about September, but I wanted to make a plea for education.
As a very active member of my son's school's parent advisory committee and as a veteran teacher, I have been able to see both sides of education in recent years. Our parent advisory committee is a fundraising giant. We are paying for so many things in the school that my parents never had to pay for. The teachers are requesting things that should be covered by the school district. Maybe you noticed all the school spring fair posters in our community this spring - every school is fundraising for needed items.
Parents at my son's school, who know I am a teacher, ask me often about the lack of counsellors, school psychologists, librarians and teachers to help with learning disabilities. They wonder how their children are coping in a large class with students with differing issues. I try my best to explain that teachers care about your child, they are professionals and just talk to them about your concerns.
Unfortunately, the Liberals and our media do not hear from parents and parents need to be loud this summer. The Liberals have halted productive contract negotiations with the B.C. Teachers' Federation and want to pursue a 10-year deal. The media loves to paint teachers as big bad union bullies. The two together simply mean another 10 years of cuts to our young people's educations. We need to invest more in our youth, and we need to speak up for them. Teachers have always negotiated classroom size and composition as part of their bargaining because they are concerned about your children. B.C. gets great results for the amount it invests in education compared to the rest of the country and the world.
I don't buy Christy Clark's need for a 10-year plan. So much happens in a decade.
For example, we are seeing more students diagnosed with learning difficulties as their mothers are older, which will not be addressed for 10 years.
Or on the economic front, job sectors change and employers want different courses, which will not be addressed for 10 years.
Lastly, I work with and my students are taught by some fabulous teachers. Who wants a depressed, deflated workforce for a decade? How will that stimulate vibrant education policy?
I encourage you to tell your good teacher stories to the media and to write a letter to Christy Clark expressing your concerns for the new school year in September. Arm your children and grandchildren with the skills for a great future through education. We all want educated, empathetic citizens who graduate and make our country better.
Louise Hazemi, Burnaby
