‘We stood beside them’
Sydney Academy parents group unhappy with grad date change
When the teachers at Sydney Academy were embroiled in a bitter contract dispute with the province,
Cindy Binns says she and other parents were there to support them. Now she’s hoping they’ll return the favour
— even just for one day.
“When they went out on strike that day, we got coffee and tea for them on the picket lines,” said Binns, one of many parents and students are upset that school staff switched the original date of the graduation ceremony from June 28 to June
29. “We stood on the picket line with them, we sent letters of encouragement to them. And we just hoped they wanted to reciprocate, that they would want to come back and be by the sides of our children, like we stood beside them.”
Binns said the date change means several students who have travel plans and other obligation on June 29 won’t be able to put on their caps and gowns and receive their diplomas with their classmates.
She said the June 28 date was in place since the beginning of the school year, and when she and four other mothers formed the Blue and White Parents Safe Grad-Prom Committee to plan those milestone events after teachers adopted a work-to-rule policy they assumed it would remain that day. However, after the province passed legislation forcing teachers back to work, Sydney Academy principal Kevin Deveaux informed parents that staff wanted to change the graduation day to 9 a.m. on June
29.
“We feel it was a deliberate move by the administration at the school,” said Binns, whose son Andrew is graduating from the school this year. “We feel that they’re making a stand.”
Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board communications adviser Michelle MacLeod said under Department of Education rules, Sydney Academy staff can pick either June 28 or June 29 for its graduation date. However, she said “all schools right now are presently reviewing the schedule of the graduations and their activities.”
MacLeod did confirm that up until this year, Sydney Academy and Riverview High School had a “long-standing agreement” where each principal took turns choosing the date for their school’s graduation ceremony so they didn’t fall on the same day. This year was Riverview’s turn, and principal Joe Chisholm picked June 29.
She said Deveaux is aware of the situation.
“He knows the parents’ concerns, so ultimately it’s up to Mr. Deveaux and the staff whether it’s going to changed or not,” she said. “They’re presently reviewing it. He will advise the parents as soon as he’s made a decision.”
School board chair Darren Googoo said he’s hoping the matter can be resolved in a way that makes both sides happy.
“This is an issue that the board takes seriously and we’re working with our senior staff toward a resolution,” he said. “I’m hopeful that we as a board can come to a resolutions that’s equally acceptable to both the school staff and the parents.”
Binns said ideally they’d like the graduation to be held in the evening on June 28, but any time on that day would be better than June 29.
“I would really hope that they would reconsider and take another look at it. We’re not asking them to work in the evening. We’re not asking them to volunteer their time in the evening,” she said.
“It’s no disrespect to any teachers or their union, or their work. We’re not doing their job. We just hope that they think enough about the students to want to join in.
“They might be upset with the government but this is not our kids’ fault, and our kids should not be in the middle of this labour dispute.”