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Remembering the fallen Victoria-based Chief Superintendent Ray Bernoties, commander of the RCMP Island District, lays the last of three roses in front of portraits of three Mounties killed in Moncton, N.B. during a memorial service for the slain officers at the BC Police and Peace Officers Memorial on the B.C. legislature grounds on Tuesday. The memorial service included police officers from across the province. Don Denton/News staff
Frustration grows as teachers eye full strike Money not only issue teachers want more say on class composition Daniel Palmer News staff
The frustration of Greater Victoria teachers was palpable in downtown Victoria this week, as about 300 teachers and supporters picketed the offices of the B.C. Ministry of Education to protest ongoing labour negotiations. On Tuesday night, teachers voted 86 per
cent in favour of a full walkout to put maximum pressure on the provincial government at the bargaining table. Should no deal be reached, the earliest possible date for school closures across B.C. would be Monday, June 16 and that could impact the last nine days of the school year. “Parents are telling me they’re taking their kids out of public school to put them in private school, and it’s for exactly the reasons we’re fighting here: smaller classes, one-toone support, teacher-librarian full-time,” said Benula Larsen, Greater Victoria Teachers Association president. A full strike would close elementary and middle schools – parents will be advised to
make child care arrangements if necessary – while secondary schools would be open only to conduct exams for Grade 10 to 12 students. High school teacher and Fairfield resident Jeff Laird said he supports the strike vote because classroom pressures have never been worse, as both the number of students and special needs students without additional support continue to increase. “The kids who need a standard education are not getting it because we’re busy putting out fires with a few students rather than teaching classes,” he said. “What really brought it home is when my four-year-old, Finnegan, is ready for school, I’m worried
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about the quality of his education.” Saanich teacher Nessie Magee said she’s frustrated many people continue to believe the labour dispute comes down to teacher salaries. The focus, she said, has always been on class size and composition. “This is about the disparity between public education and private education. Right now, our kids are not getting equal opportunity of education. I’ve been teaching since 1983 and I’ve never seen the state of education in as disrepair as it is right now,” Magee said. PLEAsE sEE: Province vows to end lockout, Page A5
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