BCTF appeals to principals to join battle against government

Union urges group to ‘ show leadership’ to reverse ‘ decade of chronic underfunding, direct attack on teachers’ rights’

The B. C. Teachers’ Federation is appealing to principals and vice- principals to join its fight against Liberal education policies.

“Together we can be far more effective in engaging government and citizens to achieve the improvements our schools and students so desperately need,” president Susan Lambert says in a recent letter to Jameel Aziz, head of the B. C. Principals’ and Vice- Principals’ Association ( BCPVPA).

“If you truly wish to show leadership, surely you cannot remain silent in the face of the latest legislation, Bill 22. Surely you must be aware that, more than ever, this bill will result in larger classes, more difficult class composition and deteriorating teaching and learning conditions, not to mention school morale.”

Principals and vice- principals, who have not belonged to a union since they were removed from the BCTF bargaining unit in 1987, have been largely silent during the decade- long battle between the BCTF and the B. C. Liberal government. Earlier this month, though, Aziz issued a statement warning that another year of labour conflict would have dire consequences for public schools.

His association has not taken a position on Bill 22, which ordered a six- month cooling- off period in the teachers’ contract dispute with public school employers and the appointment of a mediator to make non- binding recommendations by June 30. If there is no deal by the end of summer, it’s expected the government will impose a two- year contract dating back to June 30, 2011, when the last one expired.

Bill 22, which was passed in March, also changed the rules about class size and composition for the coming school year. But when a new round of bargaining begins in 2013, the BCTF will again be able to negotiate limits, as was the case before 2002. That’s when the Liberals reduced the scope of the union contract in a way that B. C. Supreme Court says violated teachers’ rights.

The union and the government have presented radically different views about the effect Bill 22 will have on class size and composition during the 2012- 13 school year. The union warns of exceptionally large classes containing unlimited numbers of specialneeds students, given that Bill 22 eliminated a rule intended to hold the number of special- needs students at a maximum of three per class.

Education Minister George Abbott, meanwhile, insists class size limits will remain the same next year, with kindergarten classes capped at 22 students, Grades 1- 3 capped at 24

Together we can be far more effective in engaging government and citizens to achieve the improvements our schools and students so desperately need.

SUSAN LAMBERT

BCTF PRESIDENT

students and Grades 4- 12 limited to 30 students — to be exceeded only in “exceptional circumstances” with approval from the principal and the superintendent.

The government says the newly created Learning Improvement Fund will provide $ 195 million over three years to increase support for teachers with challenging classrooms, but the BCTF says that amount is completely inadequate.

In her letter to Aziz, Lambert says teachers have stood alone in resisting government’s “misguided” policies and suggested many have felt betrayed by the silence from principals and vice- principals.

Regarding Aziz’s warning about dire consequences in the coming school year, she writes: “I would respectfully suggest that after a decade of chronic underfunding, direct attacks on teachers’ rights and severe lack of learning resources and support to meet students’ needs, the negative effects are already long- term and profound. I urge you to use your position of leadership and influence to help us reverse this terrible trend.”

Aziz told The Vancouver Sun he has no comment on Lambert’s appeal.