Because I teach in the public school, I belong to a union. As of last year, I belong to a large union because we voted to join the "Feds" (always sounds Star Trekish to me) aka The BC Federation of Labour. Usually this union stuff doesn't affect my day to day life in the classroom. I'm not terribly political so I don't pay too much attention to the paper that comes across my desk. It usually hits the recycle bin before I've read much.
Now, don't get me wrong. I appreciate the union I belong to. Because of it, I don't have to supervise at lunch hour, I have great benefits and I can work part time while retaining my full time contract. We have a pretty good deal. Sure, we don't make a ton of money, but I'm the kind of person who prefers the security. Our union has fought hard to make our working conditions better. They have also made sure our class sizes aren't huge and our special needs kids are cared for (until the present gov't decided to strip our contract of all that). So all in all, I appreciate and suppport the BCTF.
When my support begins to wane however, if when the BCTF says it speaks for all teachers because frankly, I'm not sure it does. The executive is very left wing, very "out there". I believe most teachers are somewhere in the middle. The reason those people represent us is that us moderate types don't go to the meetings!!! So, it's a bit of a Catch 22. Most teachers aren't political....heck, the poor guy today couldn't even get us to 2nd a motion! We just want to get the job done in our classrooms without a lot of disruption. The kids are what matter to us.
Still, I'm a believer in public education. I would hate to see its demise because I know we do a good job in the public schools. I know we give kids opportunities regardless of race, religion or social status. I am a bit worried about this government and what they've done to our class sizes and class composition. I know they don't support public education by their actions, even if they say in glossy ads that they do. I see it in my classroom when I don't have support for Special Needs Kids and can't get resources because there is no money. So, in this next election in May, I'm thinking long and hard about who to vote for. Because now it's not just about me, it's my kids who are in the system too.
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3 comments:
Oh Heather!! You sounded very political in this post! I'm a business owner, so I have a totally different perspective on our current government... but hey, I'm not political either. HA! We all are, we just don't like to say it out loud; it's like saying you drink wine in a group of old time Mennonites. I guess the way I see it, if the government doesn't make really drastic budget cuts now, there won't be money later. In the future there will be more money for all the stuff they have cut. Sometimes you have to cut back until you can catch up. We all do it at home, it's just hard to take. But I can agree that I want our schools to have more than enough to meet the needs of kids. We'll just have to keep the government accountable.
How funny hey? I'm not usually that political...it's hard to know what's best isn't it? I can usually see both sides. That's why I'd never be a politician! LOL!
I think the mistakes this government made with teachers was to try to change everything so quickly and without consultation. You're right...it's not something I'd bring up with certain crowds...I'd have a serious debate on my hands! Here's my conclusion on politics...With a few exceptions, most politicians get corrupted with power, regardless of their affiliation. Maybe that's why God tells us to pray for them!!
You bet!! We should pray our hearts out! I really like reading your posts. Thanks for letting me in on your thoughts.
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