We Speak for Kids and Public Education But Who Is Speaking for Us in the Leg.?

For the past several weeks, I have been lost in the noise of my own anger, sadness,and frustration with the state of negotiations between us and the BC government.  I have wanted to contribute to the dialogue.  Even my most quiet colleagues have been riled enough to wade into the fray.                                                                                                                                                        I did not want my voice to be buried. 

    I began to think about different angles to the issue and I remembered a conversation the reporters on the Legislature had on Friday morning on CBC.  One of the reporters brought up the fact that the NDP are very quiet right now about the teachers'/education issues.  It hit me like a tonne of bricks...she was right!  Where was the Ministry of Ed critic on this?

So I decided, on this rainy Sunday, to do two things:  (1) Break the sanctioned silence of my blog presence (2) research the four main political parties to see where they stand on the current issues in education in this province.

    

     After all, it has only been one year since we walked from behind the cardboard barriers of the voting booth, placing our hopes on a new political future - horrifyingly disappointing as it was.   We, as teachers, parents, and former students voted for a number of different candidates believing that our voices would be heard in the legislative assembly through those we elected or at least attempted to elect.  We also hoped that, even if those people did not have a seat in the Leg., at least they would serve as voices critical of current attacks on public education and protect it.

    My research this morning causes me to despair.  We placed our hopes on parties that have either forgotten about us or simply do not have the political balls to stand up to the Liberal bullies running the school yard.  I will give a quick run down of the issues in the foreground of the political parties in "across the floor" from the Liberals so you can see what is first and foremost on the political agenda of these parties.  And please, don't take my word for it, go to the websites yourself and check it out - the silence on the issues surrounding public education is deafening.

    

PARTY #1:  THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION

Leader: John Horgan

     The last time we have heard word one from the NDP on education was back in February when the whole court document regarding Paul Straszak and Clark's deputy minister's plan to provoke a teacher's strike came to light...and was promptly buried.  The NDP seemed to just shrug their collective shoulders and walk away from the issue that finally, someone was caught stating UNDER OATH that Christy Clark is a conniving, manipulative...well, you get the picture.  

     The NDP let it slide - they were too busy with in-fighting in their party to focus on the jugular.  Man, if I were the leader of the NDP, bodies would be hitting the floor of the Leg. all over the place!  Non-confidence votes would have been the least of this government's worries.

     So, as of today, on the official party website the key issues are as follows:

1.  Impact of the broken 200 million dollar computerized Integrated Case Management system which issues social services cheques and other important paper work for people on social assistance

2.  Disability Claw Backs

3. Aboriginal Missing Women's report:  BC has more missing and murdered Aboriginal women than any other province in the country

4.  Ferries cuts

5.  Preserving the Agricultural Land Reserve

***NOT A SINGLE MENTION OF THE GOV'TS TREATMENT OF TEACHERS AND EDUCATION****

      Even in the News Stories category, in which the latest post was May 24, there absolutely no mention of the issues in education.  The main story was titled Reality Checks, in which Christy Clark's government was criticised for her broken promises to focus on families.  The main points were:

1.  Hydro, ferry, medical insurance premiums, ICBC rate increases

2.  Stagnant wadges - behind national average

3.  Child support claw backs

4. Agricultural Land Reserve

5.  Job creation failures

6.  Debt to be $70 bill by 2017

     I dunno, call me crazy, but does the devastation of public education NOT fall into the category of issues impacting families?

     It's pretty pathetic when the official opposition doesn't even stand against the government on an issue which would single them out as a truly effective opposition.

    Mark my words, NDP, as a long time supporter, your silence on this issue will cost you votes.  Teachers never forget!

      IN NO WAY DOES THE NDP PARTY OF BC MENTION THE CUTS TO EDUCATION, THE CONDITIONS IN CLASSROOMS, OR THE NEGLECT OF TEACHERS OVER THE PAST DECADE.

PARTY #2:  THE INVISIBLE OPPOSITION

Leader: Jane Sterk

     The only party in BC to mention anything about current issues between teachers and the Liberal government is the Green Party.  In the number one position on their web site is an article titled:  Renewing Relationships in BC Education.
          In the article, the party calls for a focus on repairing the dysfunctional relationship between the BCTF and the government, stating that both sides share equal blame in the current state of negotiations as a result of their use of media to try to win the PR battle.  Their suggestion was to have the lead negotiators sit  in a locked room until they can work out their issues.  The article goes on to note that the current dispute puts kids in the middle and disrupts their lives and learning.
     Other issues on their site are as follows:  
1.  Call for the repeal of the Parks Amendment Act - this would allow industrial development in parklands
2.  Resolution sought for desecration of ancient burial sites on Grace Islet (Salt Spring Island) - residential developers want to build over ancient burial sites.  WOW! Did they not see Poltergeist?
3.  Discussions about the Day of Honour 

     IN NO WAY DOES THE GREEN PARTY OF BC MENTION THE CUTS TO EDUCATION , THE CONDITIONS IN CLASSROOMS, OR THE NEGLECT OF TEACHERS OVER THE PAST DECADE.                             

 PARTY #3:  THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF BC

Leader: Dan Brooks

          As one would expect from the virtually nonexistent BC political party, there was little of anything on this site regarding anything.  In fact, the site is rarely updated with even comments on what is going on in the BC political landscape.  Their main news stories were:

1.  Brooks calls for Cumulative Impact Plans as a foundation for area-based forest tenures (May 14)

2.  Condemnation of Bill 2 which impacts the use of Agricultural Land Reserve

The remainder of the stories focused on the leadership fight within the party.

 IN NO WAY DOES THE BC CONSERVATIVES MENTION THE CUTS TO EDUCATION, THE CONDITIONS IN CLASSROOMS, OR THE NEGLECT OF TEACHERS OVER THE PAST DECADE.

     

     See, I told you.  It's grim.  How are we supposed to get the attention of the people of this province if we do not even have a voice in the one place where change is made officially?  

     Guess it's time to start writing letters to the opposition parties demanding that they start to stand up and protect public education in this province.  They need a reminder that a strong publicly educated electorate is the key to a healthy democracy.  They need to be reminded that if they refuse to speak up about this hot topic they are showing the citizens of BC that they will remain silent on other issues as well.  They need to be reminded that a refusal to stand up to the haranguing and harassment of teachers, specialist teachers, and other education professionals demonstrates a weakness that does not deserve to be voted for during the next election.

     So, I ask again, IF WE SPEAK FOR KIDS AND FOR THE NECESSITY TO PROTECT PUBLIC EDUCATION, WHO IS SPEAKING FOR US IN THE LEG.?