The Huron Expositor, 1997-11-12, Page 5«.TT.t. wry. - • ^s ..
Teachers really do care about kids' education
Dear Editor.Klztr
Bravo to our teachers! They
gave, the rest of us a "wake
up" can. 1 know it wasn't
easy for many of them to be
walking the "line", knowing
the "Hoffa" type stigma some
people connect to unions -not
realizing the importance of
solidarity.
Living in a democracy we
become complacent, thinking
our politicians are there look-
ing after our best interests
and alas, sometimes realizing
too late, they are looking
after their interests.
• I hope the teacher "bashers"
made an effort to attend
information meetings or read
Bill 160 and kept an open
mind as we are (still) being
saturated with TV ads from
our Province of Ontario (paid
by you and I). Then if you
still feel the teachers are
wrong - that's your right -
you're wrong, but that's what
a democracy is all about.
Support our teachers. They
really do care about the kids,
their education, their future
and thus our future.
Respectfully,
Jean Ross
5
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PHOTO BY DAVID SCOTT
PROTEST MARCH - Huron County teachers converged on Seaforth last Wednesday in a
day -long protest of the Harris government. Elementary public school teachers retumed to
work on Friday. The remainder of the teachers' unions returned to class Monday.,
MPP clarifies Bill 160 discussion
Dear Editor:
There has been substantial
discussion with respect to
Bill 160 and I believe that it
is important for a few items
to be clarified. The recom-
mendations for this bill were
formulated by the Education
Improvement Commission
(EIC) and released in their
report "The Road Ahead."
The document is available
at the constituency office or
through the EIC, Mowat
Block, 13th Floor, 900 Bay
St., Toronto Ontario. This
commission is headed by
David Cooke, the former
Minister of Education and an
NDP MPP, and Anne
Vanstone, the previous
Director of the Toronto
Board of Education. The peo-
ple of Huron County were
represented by the following
groups:
Huron County Board of
Education (HCB4); Huron -
Perth County RCSB; HCBE
- non -teaching staff; HPC
RCSSB - non -teaching staff;
HCBE - school council reps;
HPC RCSSB - school council
reps; HCBE - teaching staff;
HPC RCSSB - teaching staff;
HCBF students.
The Ministry of Education
used this report to develop
the first reading of Bill 160,
"The Education Quality
Improvement Act."
On October 30, 1997,
Minister Johnson announced
a package of government
amendments to Bill 160.
These amendments were the
product of consultations
heard by the standing com-
mittee. During public hear-
ings, the government was
urged repeatedly to enshrine
in legislation its intent con-
cerning class size, instruc-
tional time, and differentiated
staffing. There were sugges-
tions that while these quality
measures should be set
provincially rather than
remain a by-product of col-
lective bargaining, the gov-
ernment was giving Cabinet
too much power by having
the ability to set these
through regulation. Shifting
these powers from regulation
to legislation was a common
theme from many presenters
to the committee.
The government accepted
this advice. As we have
always said, while our goals
of limiting class size, increas-
ing instructional time, allow-
ing our students access'to
qualified individuals to com-
plement our teachers in the
classroom, and ending
increasing education property
taxes through legislation are
firm, we are open to sugges-
tions on how to achieve
them.
Should these amendments
pass when the committee
reconvenes for clause -by -
clause consideration of the
Education Quality
Improvement Act, any future
changes to these quality mea-
sures will have to undergo
the waftof the legisliidve
including ncluding public
consultation, rather than the
quick and easy change poul-
ble dy regulations.
Another common theme
during the consultations on
this legislation was the
request for more detail as to
the government's intentions.
The amendments, which
were tabled clearly state, for
example, that the average
class size, in the aggregate,
shall not exceed 22 students
at the secondary level and 25
at the elementary level.
The amendments also man-
date provincial standards in
instructional time. The
amendments state that ele-
mentary teachers will spend
at least 1,300 minutes per
week providing instruction,
and secondary teachers will
spend at least 1,250 minutes
a week providing instruction.
These figures represent the
current national averages.
This translates into no
increase in time for elemen-
tary teachers, who are already
at the national average, and
an increase for secondary
school teachers of just under
30 minutes a day.
Further, our amendments
provide for flexibility at the
board and principal level to
use their discretion to assign
less instructional time to
teachers - for example, Tess
experienced younger teachers
who need more time to pre-
pare for classes.
The issue of differentiated
staffing has been under dis-
cussion. Our amendments,
which have the full support
of the Ontario College of
Teachers, has been worded to
ensure that professionals and
para -professionals arc used to
complement - not replace -
certified teachers, and that
they have appropriate qualifi-
cations. It is our hope that
this amendment will end the
ongoing speculation that it is
the government's intention to
replace classroom teachers
with unqualified personnel.
I have attached the 13 pro-
posals of the teachers union
and the government response.
The government has been
very careful to listen to all
partners in education. The
EIC report involved much
consultation and the public
hearings were listened to, and
acted upon. The government
introduced 109 amendments.
1 hope this will allow parents
to consider carefully Bill
160. Thequality of education
must change as our children
face competition in the global
economy. The status quo is.
not an option.
Union Demand 1:
Only qualified teachers in
charge of classrooms.
Government Offer:
• The government has pro-
posed amendments, with sup-
port from the Ontario College
of Teachers, to have other
professionals complement, •
not replace, work of class-
room teachers.
Union Demand 2:
Protect secondary school
teachers' preparation time.
Goverment Offers
• Legislate minimum
amount of time teachers
spend with students within
current school day to bring
Ontario to the national aver -
Usher Demand 3:
Protect elementary school
teachers' preparation time.
Government Offer:
• Accepted.
Union Demand 4:
Unions maintain right to
negotiate higher class sizes.
Government Offer:
• Legislate a limit on aver-
age class size.
Union Demand 5:
Do not set class size and
teaching time by regulation.
Government Offer:
• Accept the teachers' rec-
ommendation and replace
regulatory power with legis-
lated limits on average class
size and minimum standard
for instructional time.
Union Demand 6:
No limit on right to strike.
Government Offer:
• Accepted.
UnionDemand• 7:
'Nacho's' jobs be protected.
Government Offer:
• Voluntary early retirement
incentive program would pro-
mote employment for
younger teachers.
Union Demand 8:
Unions maintain statutory
monopoly on representation
of teachers.
Government Offer:
• Accepted.
Union Demand 9:
Time to phase in changcs
proposed in Bill 160.
Government Offer:
• Accepted where appropri-
ate to protect existing teach-
ers' rights.
Union Demand 10:
Seniority guaranteed during
transition.
Government Offer:
• Accepted.
Union Demand 11:
Education spending be
maintained.
Government Offer:
• Education spending has
been maintained atmore than
$14 billion per year since
1995.
Union Demand 12:
Teachers not subject to
Disputc Resolution
Commission.
Government Offer:
• Accepted.
Union Demand 13:
Teachers demand quality
education reinvestment.
Government Offer:
• Government offers
process to consult with stake-
holders on quality reinvest-
ments.
Summary:
In total, the teachers'
unions have requested that
the Government respond to
their concerns in several key
areas; some of which
involved numerous technical
revisions to the Education
QDality Improvement Act.
7b date, the government has
accepted the unions' position
on eight areas, including
technical amendments related
to collective bargaining.
In other areas, the govern-
ment has demonstrated flexi-
bility, but remains committed
to its goal of improving the
quality and accountability of
Ontario's education system.
Hekn Johns,
MPP, HUM"
Timm left to
submit farm
tax rebate
application
Farmers who have not yet
applied to receive the 1997
farm tax rebate still have time
to submit their application so
that their farm property can
be properly assessed for the
new farmland tax rate in
1998, states a press release
from the Ontario Agriculture
Ministry.
More than 90 per cent of
eligible farmers have met
early filing dates and have
already filed applications.
The remaining farmers who
still need to submit applica-
'ti'otls are eticdtirs eti'ro'do so
promptly :so Oat tfidir tazps
next year reflect the new rate.
Farmers who have already
received their 1997 rebate
cheque will be automatically
enrolled under the 1998 tax
system. The new land class,
coming into effect at the
beginning of 1998, will be
taxed at 25 per cent of the
residential tax rate.
Due to an unprecedented
number of calls resulting
from the changes to the tax
system, OMAFRA has added
additional operators to pro-
vide farmers who ha-vc not
submitted applications more
time to contact ministry staff.
Farmers who still need to
make submissions should call
1-800-469-2285, or fax (416)
326-3507. Extended waiting
periods are anticipated. If
callers are unable to connect
to an operator, they can con-
tact their local OMAFRA
field office.
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