Teachers rally in Vancouver, in hopes a deal can be reached soon
Posted August 29, 2014 11:28 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – As negotiators for the teachers and the province prepare to enter talks to end the labour dispute that threatens to delay the start of the school year, nearly 100 people were rallying in support of public education this morning.
They lined the sidewalks along 6th Avenue near Cambie Street in Vancouver.
Many say they’re hopeful a deal will be reached before Tuesday, when classes are supposed to resume. That includes high school teacher Karen Johnson, who says she’d love to be back to work next week.
But she says they just can’t go back with class size and composition the way they currently are. She says the system has been continually “watered down.”
“I’m tired of teaching 32 kids. I’m tired of teaching kids with special needs — five and six of them at a time — without support. I can’t do it by myself, I can’t.”
As for what she would say to frustrated parents who just want it to be done, Johnson says to stay strong, adding things will be much worse than they are now if public education crumbles.
Tami McDiarmid, who teaches grades five, six, and seven says the frustration is understandable.
“I hope that parents recognize that we’re doing this because we believe so strongly in the public education system, and we want what’s best for their children in the long run,” she says.
The bargaining teams on each side were set to meet with mediator, Vince Ready, after Ready had an inital meeting with BCTF President, Jim Iker, and the government’s chief negotiator, Peter Cameron, yesterday.
