HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1979-10-17, Page 2 (2)Par 2 October 17, 1979
Jack's Jottings
By JACK RIDDELL
MPP Huron -Middlesex
Should teachers strike?
• other hand, must be aware of
its stewardship of the tax-
payers money, especially at
a time when a larger share of
the cost of education Is being
borne by local property
taxpayers. The board is also
responsible for providing the
best quality education it can
and therefore, wants to
retain its best teachers. The
issue isnot black and white -
both sides have strong
feelings about the rightness
of their case.
The real question then is
not who is right or who is
wrong, but rather. how to
resolve the differences in a
fair way. We have now had
five years of experience in
using strikes as the set-
tlement procedure. Nobody
seems satisfied with the
results. Teachers are
professionals; they are
aware of their respon-
sibilities to their students;
and they do not like the
disruptive effect of a strike
on the learning process.
Trustees are elected to
keep schools open, not -
closed ; they are deeply aware
of public animosity to a
strike situation; and they too
do not want students
When the Legislature
resumed after the summer
recess, Liberal Leader
Stuart Smith asked the
Premier to enunciate his
Government's position on
the right of teachers to strike
and of school boards to lock
out. now that the Ministry of
Education's internal review
of Bill 100 has been com-
pleted.
Should school teachers go
on strike? This question
dominated much of the
thinking at Queen's Park last
week as the Province's first
elementary school teachers
strike completed its second
week in Peel County.
Since 1974 when the right
to strike was approved by
the Ontario Legislature,
there have been 19 strikes
involving more than 300.000
students with an average of
seven to eight weeks of lost
schooling.
A recent report analyzed
the long and bitter secondary
school teachers strike in
Toronto and concluded that
many students did not return
to school and those who went
on to University experienced
more difficulties with their
studies. There were also
signs of reduced respect for
teachers by their students.
The issue is not an easy
one to settle. Both the
teachers and. the school
boards have genuine con-
cerns that need to be
resolved. The teachers are
looking for a fair andust
wage • settlement that
recognizes todays runaway
inflation. In a time of
declining enrolment. they
also want some fair and
equitable arrangement for
deciding which teachers are
to be let go.
The school board on the
schooling to be so violently
disrupted.
Students and their parents
see themselves as the in-
nocent victims in this power
struggle. Students become
skeptical and disenchanted
with the value of education
when they see that it can be
interrupted for almost two
months.
Parents see their family
life seriously disrupted,
especially in those families
where both parents must
work outside the home. The
social and moral con-
sequences of large numbers
of children having so much
free time on their hands has
not yet been measured, but it
must surely be detrimental.
As we move into the 1980's,
it seems clear to me at least
that a better way must be
found to resolve such
disputes. I have recom-
mended that the provincial
government establish a
permanent board of ar-
bitrators from which two or
three members could be
drawn when a local
negotiation breaks down.
Such board members
would quickly become very
knowledgeable about the
Arthritis drive Tuesday
The annual canvass for the
arthritis Society in Exeter,
Huron Park, Centralia and
Crediton will be held
Tuesday, October 23.
The campaign is being
conducted by students of the
Centralia College of
Agricultural Technology.
Don Orth, director of
student affairs at the college
said this year's local goal is
$2,000 and donations will be
used by the arthritis society
to support programs of
research, educations and
information.
Mr. Orth reminds
everyone of the facts about
the most serious form of
arthritis -rheumatoid ar-
thritis :
The chances' of im-
provement are great; the
majority of patients are able
to return to a productive,
fairly comfortable Life with
gainful employment.
Although there is no cure
for rheumatoid arthritis in
the sense that it disappears
with treatment, treatment is
predictably effective in most
cases. Success will depend
on the enthusiasm and
thoroughness with which
patient and family approach
it.
There is genuine optimism
and confidence concerning
the search for a cure for
rheumatoid arthritis. Great
progress has been made and
continues to be made.
Arthritis research is paying
off.
There is no pill, capsule,
injection of combination. of
medicines now on the
market which will cure
arthritis. Do not be duped
into spending money by
some quack. Your doctor can
help control your disease.
Follow your doctor's or-
ders exactly. Remember
that treatment may be a
long-term affair.
education process and
become understanding of the
concerns of both teachers
and school trustees. Since
they could not disappear
after making their set-
tlement decisions, they
would quickly tend to arrive
at fair and responsible
decisions.
No process is going to
satisfy everyone all the time
but I believe the alternative
proposed is preferable to
strikes. In this international
year of the child, let us in
Ontario really put the needs
of our kids at the forefront.
Let us as responsible adults
really give them some good
examples of human
relations.
The question of inadequate
funding for Children's Aid
Societies was raised in the
first day's question period.
Earlier, the Minister of
Community and Social
Sy -vices had released the
report of the study group on
child welfare in Ontario,
which had been a year in
preparation.
This report sets the stage
for constructive and in-
formed public discussion of
the manner in which this
province will protect its
children.
In essence, the study group
had examined child welfare
as it is currently administed
by Ontario's network of
quasi -public societies, and
found the system wanting.
Strengths and weaknesses of
three other models which
might conceivably replace
the present system were
weighed, so that public
discussion could lead
eventually to reform.
However, the Minister's
response to the report is
indicated in the following
excerpt from his in-
troduction to the document:
"Let me now assure you that
the provincial Governnment
has no intention of trans-
ferring responsibility for
the provision of child welfare
services to any pody other
than the Societies."
Yet the report itself state:
"Societies have failed to
prevent human
tragedies...most major
governmental , planning
studies over the past decade
have called for drastic
changes in the relationships
between the Societies and
the public. Yet few changes
have occurred.. Public
confidence in Societies
appears to be waning and
many members and staff of
Societies are confused,
frustrated and demoralized
about their roles...
In the interests of the
children and their families
who become by default the
victims of the uncertainty
and controversy
Inqli.: . -
Everythingyoutl
expect
andihen some.
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surrounding the Children's
Aid Societies, we would hope
that this study will be the last
in the series."
Opposition members also
raised, among other mat-
ters, the situation with
respect to health care in ihe
Province, the security o rot1
supplies for the forthcoming
winter, and the Govern-
ment's policy with respect to
French language education
in Ontario.
Stuart Smith asked the
Premier for his Govern-
ment's policy with respect to
the decision of the Prime
Minister of Canada to give
control of off -shore oil and
mineral resources to *the
coastal provinces. The
Premier stated that the
Government of Canada could
not, unilaterallyr give up
anything which con-
sititutionally came within its
jurisdiction.
ARTHRITIS CAMPAIGN TUESDAY — Students of Centralia College of Agricultural
Technology will be conducting the Exeter and area canvass for the Canadian Arthritis
Association, Tuesday, October 23. The CCAT committee is shown with College director of
student affairs Don Orth. Seated from the left are Connie Giffen, chairman Fern Adair and
SAC president Don Kneeshow. T -A photo
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