Jail ‘n bail PAGE A3
barlow creek science fair PAGE A11
Friday, February 28, 2014
VOL. 100 NO. 52
archer hits bronze PAGE A15
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École Baker celebrates Diversity Day With the goal of promoting tolerance and acceptance of diversity and a common stand against bullying behaviour, École Baker students, Grades 3 – 7, gathered in Spirit Square and performed We Can by Jesse Ruben using sign language to coordinate with the lyrics. The school’s diversity theme for this years is I can - You can - We Can. École Baker students respect anti-bullying day monthly with a Pink Shirt Day the last Friday of each month. Annie Gallant photo
Teachers mindful of student and parents concerns Strike vote won’t impact teaching or learning, Kishkan says
AUTUMN MacDONALD Observer Reporter Yes teachers will vote on another mandate to strike – no it will not affect parents or students. That’s the message Quesnel and District Teachers Association president Lisa Kishkan said needs to be highlighted.
“There are no plans to close or interrupt teaching or learning,” she said. “This [strike] is designed to add pressure [at the bargaining table] without impacting parents or students.” B.C. teachers will vote March 4 – 6, B.C. Teachers’ Federation president Jim Iker announced Tuesday, after a “lack of prog-
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ress” at the bargaining table over the last year. At the crux of the strike vote, Kishkan said, is government’s failure to bargain in good faith over class size and composition. “Classes are getting bigger and bigger,” she said. “Our district does an mazing job with less and less. We have amazing teachers putting in
more and more hours but they’re getting so tired.” The strike vote, Kishkan, said will hopefully push government to reinstate class size and composition language from their original collective agreement. In 2001, legislation removed the language from the agreement. “That language protects
students as much as it does teachers,” Kishkan said, pointing to additional supports in the classroom and an increase in one-on-one time with students and teachers. “We want to reassure parents that we will consider all job action options and timing very carefully,” she said. “All job action will de-
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pend on the progress at the bargaining table. This is a last resort for teachers. However, we are feeling increasingly disrespected and demoralized by the government and by the bargaining process. We feel this action is our only recourse.” A strike vote decision is expected to come down on the evening of March 6.
Deb Quick, Travel Consultant 250-992-5169 in Quesnel
Deb Quick offers all travel services as a Flight Centre Travel Agency. www.AskDeb.ca
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