Teachers across the province of Ontario are continuing with their strike action province-wide this week on Tuesday, February 11th.
On Thursday, February 13th, Bluewater elementary teachers (ETFO) will again be on the picket line.
Julie Stanley, President of ETFO Bluewater Local, says that despite the government’s talking points that focus on compensation, the issues are much deeper. “It certainly is around class size but there is also the issue of funding for Special Education. We need a strategy. There is increased violence in the classroom to the point where our teachers are having to wear protective gear. Also, when it comes to full-day kindergarten, we are losing our Education Assistants (EAs) despite larger classes.”
Stanley also went on to point out that ” … it’s the government that will not come to the table over the issues. Minister Lecce has never, in fact, been at the table. Perhaps, he doesn’t understand the public education system since he went to a private school. As well, the Deputy Minister was, I believe, home-schooled.”
According to Stanley, the unions thought they were very close a settlement last Friday. “We want to be in the classroom with our students. We chose teaching because we want to be a part of educating young people.”
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