At some point in this month every parent of a child in the public school system may find themselves scrambling to figure out what to do with them, as the various teacher’s unions threaten strike action.
I find this deeply frustrating on several levels. As a parent, I am concerned that my children will suffer from this action.
Ken Coran, the president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, says that he is “very hopeful that the public will see that we are trying to do what is best for the students,” but I find it hard to see how stopping classes, field trips and extracurricular activities is ‘best’ for students.
As an Ontario citizen, I’m frustrated with my government. We expect a number of things from our representatives, one of them being to provide a comprehensive education system for our kids. My MPP, Rod Jackson, does not seem to have any useful information on his website regarding the labour dispute.
More than anything, I, and the students I have spoken with, are frustrated by the lack of clear communications. We would like it if all parties could state their positions clearly, without demonizing their counterparties. If the government, the teachers, and the unions truly have the students’ best interests at heart, they will work together productively to resolve this issue as soon as possible.
