DIVERSION TACTICS
Glaze report full of ‘diversion tactics’
A local educator feels education is ‘under attack’ in Nova Scotia.
Rather than offend the readers, I will pose this as a question. Is it possible that the Liberal government of Nova Scotia is operating under the notion that we have a limited attention span?
Hear me out. Media manipulation is a tactic where the public receives information that supports the sender’s interest. Tactics include invalid statements, false reasoning and, sometimes, outright deception ¬- the goal is to cloud reality and suppress factual information, basically diverting the people’s attention.
Whether intentional or a sign of ignorance, the fact remains that Nova Scotia’s education system needs change but health care is on life support!
The McNeil Liberals need us to believe that education is so bad they have to result to legislation to control those unruly teachers. Everything else is working just fine in this province so don’t bother reading statistics on health care and don’t listen to the numerous doctors speaking out; the growing numbers of public debates are just social events and the media coverage? Well, that’s just fake news. But seriously, I need only mention the situations where people have died in busy ER hallways. Shame, shame, shame!
Here are some health care facts that the McNeil government would like to divert our attention from:
Knee replacement consultation 442 days; wait time for surgery 731 days.
Hip replacement consultation 382 days; wait time for surgery 597 days.
Adolescents requiring inpatient mental health care in Cape Breton are now sent to Halifax IWK.
Janet Knox, Nova Scotia Health Authority CEO and president on physician recruitment: “We have a major problem that we are saying is job one for the health system of Nova Scotia.”
Nova Scotia’s Auditor-General Michael Pickup reported that we need more than 500 new family doctors over the next decade, and that Nova Scotia is failing to communicate how residents can access primary care in the interim. Pickup also said the mental-health-care gaps must be remedied “without unnecessary delay.”
In 2016-17, Nova Scotia saw the fourth increase in ER closures in four years; totaling 25,124.5 hours across the province’s 38 emergency departments. Temporary closures are generally the result of unavailable nurses, paramedics or doctors. Walk-in clinics are closing and doctors are giving up their licenses. The Halifax Victoria General is in deplorable condition with parts closed altogether and the water unsafe for human consumption. Over 100,000 people have no family physician, current doctors are growing increasingly tired and the government is preventing doctors from working here for a variety of reasons.
Some diversion tactics used in the report from Dr. Avis Glaze that craft the need to overhaul education in Nova Scotia:
“The College of Educators model is well established elsewhere and in other professions, from physicians to lawyers, dentists to barbers.”
FACT - Ontario is the only North American jurisdiction that has a “College.” British Columbia disbanded theirs. The professions stated above are often self-employed. Teaching is not a business.
Dr. Glaze also stated that “removing administrators from the (Nova Scotia Teachers’ Union) is long-overdue change that would put Nova Scotia principals in step with their peers elsewhere.”
FACT: Most Canadian principals are in the same union as their teachers. Only Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec have the management/educator model. Seven provinces and three territories have a collegial model that includes principals. Alberta and Saskatchewan examined but rejected this approach after study and research of the other jurisdictions.
Dr. Glaze claims her recommendations will “ensure the voice of Mi’kmaq and African Nova Scotian’s are heard at the Ministerial level.”
FACT: The Council on Mi’kmaq Education and the Council on African Canadian Education have long been active and engaged they are now considering a human rights challenge to these recommendations.
Dr. Glaze claims “the College would perform some roles now held by the department, such as Teacher certification, and by the NSTU, such as discipline”
FACT: School boards and the department of Education are responsible for discipline the NSTU represents teachers in discipline matters.
Dr. Glaze suggests: “Every five years, members should demonstrate to the College that they have continued their own education by taking accredited courses, aligned with department and school priorities.”
FACT: The Education Act already requires teachers to demonstrate 100 hours of professional development every four years.
Really, education needs reform right now! Not even the Liberal spin doctors can convince me education is so bad it must take priority over health care.
Education is a pillar of a free and democratic society and it is under attack. The public must understand the impact these changes will have on our children. Teachers are battling the McNeil Liberals to protect the education of our students, our children, your children. We will fight for our students. We have to fight as we are educating the doctors, nurses, psychologists, paramedics, principals, teachers and even the politicians of tomorrow!
Are you with us?
The public must understand the impact these changes will have on our children.