LangleyAdvance
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Thursday, March 8, 2012
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Police and firefighters are marshalling resources against a Brookswood arsonist.
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by Matthew Claxton
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WE NOW CARRY MEN’S & LADIES’ CARHARTT
Teachers showed their solidarity Wednesday afternoon at the Langley Events Centre. The group marched around the events centre to Fort LangleyAldergrove MLA Rich Coleman’s office, where they attached wreaths in protest of his government legislating teachers back to work (below).
Education
Striking teachers rally at LEC
03088528
Local teachers sent a message to the B.C. government Wednesday.
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by Matthew Claxton
mclaxton@langleyadvance.com
A mass rally Wednesday saw pink-clad teachers and supporters lay pink wreaths at the office of Fort Langleyimportant issue in the contract. Aldergrove MLA Rich Coleman to mark the death of public education She has 29 children in her Grade 4 class, including a number with in B.C. special issues. The Langley Teachers’ Her fellow Topham teacher Kim Association organized a rally along Timoschyk teaches Grade 1. This 200th Street that moved to the year, Timoschyk has 18 students, Langley Events Centre, where the two with autism, two who are Liberal MLA has his constituency ESL, and several more who have office. The office was closed. academic difficulties. Last year, she “We’re going to lay those had the same composition of stuwreaths for him and leave a mesdents but had 21 in her class. sage for Rich Coleman, hopeTeachers need fully one he more support for hears,” Langley those children Teachers’ with special and Association different needs, president Gail Timoschyk said. Chaddock“We’ve had a lot Costello told of support from the crowd at the public,” said the close of the Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Yeo. “I don’t know rally. Surrey teacher Keith Honeywell joined if the message got Teachers who Langley teachers for a protest on the final across to the govwaved signs, day of a three-day strike Wednesday. ernment.” streamers, and Arlana Coady, BCTF flags on another Langley teacher, was wav200th Street on Wednesday moring a sign a little farther down the ning were cheered by honks from street. many of the passing cars. She and her fellow teachers had Debbie Yeo, a Topham eletalked to several people one-on-one mentary teacher, said that class about the issues, about class size size and composition is the most
and last year’s court decision on that issue. “I think we’ve made some people more aware,” she said. Keith Honeywell, a band teacher at Surrey’s Johnston Heights Secondary, brought his trumpet and performed songs, including When the Saints Go Marching In. The provincial government maintains that public sector employees accept its net zero mandate of no pay increases. On the first day of this week’s three-day strike, Education Minister George Abbott was critical of teachers’ tactics. “Last week, I introduced Bill 22, which sets a cooling off period and suspends the teachers’ union strike action while calling on the assistance of a mediator. It also implements the $165-million Learning Improvement Fund and other measures that will play a fundamental role in the future of education in our province,” he said. “Unfortunately, before Bill 22 was even tabled, the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation was moving to escalate their strike. The union has since ramped up the rhetoric and distorted what Bill 22 seeks to accomplish.” The Labour Relations Board ruled that teachers could strike three days this week and one day per week after that. Teachers are expected to be in class Thursday. Friday in the Langley District is a Professional Day and spring break starts next week when students will be out of class.
Langley firefighters and residents are getting ready in case the Brookswood arsonist strikes again. In the last 30 days, four fires have been set, and police suspect they are linked to the same person or persons. The arsonist has thrice targeted Brookswood Baptist Church, torching a construction trailer outside and twice breaking in to attempt to set the building on fire. Sprinklers and firefighters kept the majority of the building intact and the church has remained open. Last weekend, early Sunday morning, a portable at Noel Booth Elementary was broken into and set on fire. One portable of a set of three was destroyed and two more suffered water damage. The Langley Township fire department is preparing for any future arsons in the area. “We will make sure that the RCMP is involved immediately,” said assistant chief Bruce Ferguson. The department is also preparing a geographic profile, to try and determine where the arsonist is likely to strike. These profiles are based on multiple fires, and can help the department prevent further incidents. Ferguson said that several years ago, the department was dealing with a serial arsonist in Aldergrove who was torching dumpsters, several times a night.
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