Teachers need to have resources and a voice

The message from schools is that the cuts are hurting, writes Patrick Maze.

In the coming weeks, teachers from all over this province will meet for discussions on a future vision for public education.

It’s all part of Re-imagine Education, the STF’S effort to prompt a wide-ranging public discussion about the role of our schools. We’re asking teachers and members of the general public to clarify the issues facing education today, imagine what future schools might look like in their communities and come up with a plan for making that vision a reality.

Re-imagine Education is one of three separate planning exercises in the education sector; Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Education and school trustees are each conducting their own.

The fact that three separate strategic-planning and public-engagement processes are taking place at the same time probably tells you all you need to know about the current state of relationships in the education sector.

This is evidence of a fundamental disconnect between government, trustees and teachers. If we are to continue doing our best for students, parents and the broader society, this is a problem that has to be resolved.

Saskatchewan’s minister of education, Gord Wyant, is keen to say he’s met with teachers and “things are well in the sector” (Hansard, May 17, 2018, pg. 4,325). A teacher invited to the stage at an Aug. 29 meeting in Saskatoon had a starkly different message for the minister: The cuts are hurting.

Yes, government has put more money back into education. However, it’s still less than the $54 million taken out two years ago. Plus, there is the pressure of added enrolment. The pattern over the last two years is clear: 5,000 extra students, 24 million fewer operating dollars in education.

The unmistakable signs of a system under stress can be heard as teachers recite their lived experiences in the classroom. More students with fewer teachers. Less supports for those with special needs. Teacher shortages in northern Saskatchewan made worse by cuts which limit teacher recruitment and retention, plus the cancellation of the NORTEP program.

One teacher in Saskatoon said recently that cuts at her school are a drop in the bucket compared to what’s going on in the province as a whole. However, her students have nowhere else to go. “My kids have no backup plan. It’s heartbreaking.”

When it comes to developing a strategic plan for the future of education, teachers’ voice has been largely silenced.

Most of the major decisions about the future are made by a little-known but very powerful group of regional administrators known as the Provincial Leadership Team. Their mandate specifically excludes teachers from membership.

Making decisions about the future of education without meaningful input from teachers is akin to driving without clearing the snow off your windshield. You don’t know where you’re going, you might not ever get to where you want to be, and you’ll likely cause a lot of harm along the way. Witness the extremely modest progress that has been made on the goals set out in the Education Sector Strategic Plan.

Teachers want to help students fully participate in Saskatchewan’s economic, cultural and intellectual life. Teachers picked this profession because they wanted to do something that made a difference. The theme of World Teacher Day in 2018 (which occurs Oct. 5) is Teachers, the heartbeat of public education.

In order to bring meaning to that lofty sentiment, teachers in our province must be provided with the resources needed for a growing and diverse student population. They must also be allowed a voice at the planning table. We must also acknowledge their great work and continuing commitment to excellence in public education.

Maze is president of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF).

My kids have no backup plan. It’s heartbreaking.