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Times Advocate, 1997-11-05, Page 5Times -Advocate, November 5, 1997 Page 5 Teachers strike for rights I have met with the union ste- await this documentation. Until such time as Ire- ceive your alternatives 1 see no reason to recognize wards recently and l suggested an illegal strike. Therefore, l have decided to post- pone any further meetings until teachers are back to work or 1 have the proposals from the Huron County teachers inions and l have discussed it with Minis- ter Johnson. I would like to remind the stewards of the Huron unions that after this strike is over we must still live in our communities. I have received complaints from businesses and residents of Exeter that you are affecting their business. I must remind you that these individuals do not have a guaranteed weekly pay cheque and that their livelihood depends on their ability to sell their products. Presently, you are blocking store entrances, parking on the main street and thereby, reducing the accessibility of patrons to their businesses and generally making life difficult that they should contact the un- ion leaders and get them back to the table.... Dear Editor; It saddens me that the teachers' unions have de- cided their only alternative is to engage in an illegal strike. The children in our education system have suffered a severe threat to their quality of education and their families are very worried. I would like to remind teachers that they have a legal contract with their Board which is now being violated. As the Member of Provincial Parliament for Hu- ron and the elected representative of the many chil- dren of the County, I would like to reinforce my commitment to quality education. I believe that the for store owners. system must be changed. I received over 2000 peti- Because my office has become a focal point for tions requesting a more equitable funding model. pickets and because of my concerns for my home - This request has been answered in Bill 160. In Sep- town and neighbors, I will continue to monitor the tember of this year, I was contacted by many par- business community and if their economic viability ents who were concerned about class sizes. The abil- becomes a concern I will temporarily move the of- ity to limit class size is in Bill 106. As a parent of fice to a metre isolated location. My community is school age children, l am concerned about our chit- too important to me to see it damaged by an illegal dren excelling and being able to compete in the glo- strike. As a final remark on this issue, 1 remind the bal marketplace. Our government has moved to- Exeter teachers that this is also your community and wards this with standardized testing, a common the viability of Main Street should be important to curriculum and more funds being directed into the you. Please consider the ramifications of your ac - classroom. tions. I have met with the union stewards recently and I Providing a superior education for our children is suggested that they should contact the. union leaders what distinguishes our society. The actions of de - and get them back to the table. I believe that this is priving children of their educatiol. serves no one imperative. I also suggested that the Huron union and.1 ask that each teacher strongly urge their un - y stewards prepare a plan that would assist the gov- ions to get back to the negotiating table. I look for- ernment in improving the quality of education. We ward to solutions prepared by the teachers' unions are all aware that there are substantial benefits to that will meet the government and parents' objec- Huron County children in this Bill and therefore, tives of increasing the quality of education while ad - we are unable to scrap Bill 160. Fair funding is too dressing teachers' concerns. important for all of us! As Minister Johnson has re- quested, I too asked union leaders for a plan to alter Bill 160, not an ultimatum to scrap it entirely. I still Yours truly, Helen Johns, MPP Huron Letter to Helen Johns "...Ontario Teachers Federation and its affiliates have proposed a Five -Point Plan." Dear Helen Johns: In response to your letter of Thursday, October 30 there are a number of issues that need to be addressed. As stated by you, we share your concern about the education of the students within Huron County and are working to ensure that the quality of education in our public school systems continues, once the issues surrounding Bill 160 have been resolved. If the issues are not addressed, truly the right to quality public education for all students in Ontario will dis- appear- Points of clarification from your letter include standardized testing and a common curriculum. Both of these items are not part of Bill 160. Please do not confuse the issues. Within Bill 160 there is reference to a new fund- ing model. When will that model be outlined? As well, we would be interested in knowing how this new model will result in "more funds directed to the classroom", when your government has clearly shown their agenda is to cut an additional $700,000,000 from the education budget. Secondly, the issue of class size, although outlined in Bill 160, there is no formula as to how the "aggregate aver- age" is going to be obtained to meet those suggested figures. Do you really believe that a government that is intent on cutting costs will actually reduce student numbers per class, which will result in hiring more teachers. For your information, Ontario Teachers Federation and its affiliates have -proposed a Five - Point Plan. The items including: funding issues, transitional issues, uncertified teachers, regulatory powers, and school year. Their invitation to Minister of Education Johnson to meet and discuss this plan- --- was refused. He did, however, provide a list of sug- gested amendments which were given as a proclama- tion, rather than a venue for discussion, deliberation or compromise. Even your i-efusal to meet with local federation representatives, at the scheduled time of Friday, October 31 at 1 p.m., presents a very closed approach to the issues. If you are truly concerned about your constituents, meet and discuss the issues with us at a mutually agreed upon time. We would still appreciate speaking directly with you. With regard to your concern for the residents and businesses of Exeter, we have truly tried to work with the town and feel that we have developed an understanding for the situation. We are sensitive to and support the many businesses and restaurants in Exeter. Any concern that has been brought to our attention has been corrected. We will continue a con- cerned but constructive presence in the town. Your choice to move your office, is your choice. Itis our hope that you will consider our position and our requests. In your own words, "providing a superior education for our children is what distin- guishes our society" and that's what we will safe- guard in our continued action to fight Bill 160. Awaiting your reply, The Huron Education Coalition Paul Dyck, OPSTF, John Clarke, OSSTF, Alma Westlake, FWTAO, Mary Ann Cruickshank, OSSTF, Terry Wilhelm, OECTA Union leaders have not contacted Johns If the union is not prepared to meet and they actually have solu- tions..1 would respectfully request that they are faxed to my office. Dear Union Stewards: I am saddened that you have decided not to con- tact me and meet with me this weekend. John • Clarke was adamant with Bob Montgomery of CKNX radio, that the union members of Huron • County had a solution or recommendations which would improve Bill 160 and at the same time let the students and parents receive the benefits of fair funding which they have asked for in over 2000 pe- titions. I of course, agreed to meet with them imme- diately to receive "the made in Huron county solu- tion." When they were unable to meet on Friday, October 31, 1997, I suggested the weekend. It was left that John Clarke would call with a contact phone number so that a time could be arranged. Mr. Clarke has not responded. I therefore would like to say that if the union is not prepared to meet and they actually have solutions that are good for Huron County kids and not just the negotiating tools of the Toronto union bosses, I would respectfully request that they are faxed to my office. . As I have said in previous correspondence, when the teachers go back to educating our children or when I receive written suggestions that could move us to a solution and take into consideration our chil- dren's rights to equitable financing I will once again consider meeting with the union stewards. Yours truly. Helen Johns, M.P.P. Bill 160 takes away our rights "Our main goal is to end this protest and get back into the classroom." Dear Editor: it is with deep concern that I write this letter on the first day of the teacher's political protest. Bill 160 creates a controlling bureaucracy with broad regulatory powers for the government and robs in- put from the local school boards and the general public. That means no parental input for any facet of our children's education. Bill 160 will .not improve education. With Bill 160, the Education Improvement Com- mission would have limitless powers. The members of the EiC would be patronage appointees, not elect- ed. Again, no public input! These members would then become a centralized bureaucracy. It states in the Bill "iite•orders of the EIC are final and shall not be reviewed or questioned in any court." Bill 160 gives the Ministry the power to set tax rates, with no guarantee that rates will not go up in smaller towns or with various types of property. Again, no public input into how much tax we will pay or how much of it will go to school boards. Any school can be closed and or moved without input. Bill 160 does not allow for public input and gives all the power to central and make changes to the government. It is going to take another billion dol- lars out of education. As teachers, and tax paying citizens, and as par- ents, we have a right to question, to give input and most importantly to =soli= changes to education. Biil 160 takes away our rights. Our main goal is to end this protest and get back into the classroom. Sincerely, Beth Breen and Gaylene Hagarty Our Lady of Mt. Carryel School Business survey slammed Public School during the past nine years. I have dis- cussed Bill 160 with many of them, have received great support and many kind words from them for standing up for my beliefs. Not one has suggested that "the trust is broken". How many parents did you survey before you wrote that article? During the past few months, I have appreciated your newspaper's interest and treatment of two important issues in my life - The Royal Letter received by my grade 1 class in September; and the articles and photos of Taniya, the child from Chernobyl who spent six weeks with my family this past summer. Your reporters and photographers (Kate, Craig and Heather) were empathetic and enthusiastic and kind, as they did their job. I felt a good rapport with my community newspaper; how- ever, my appreciation for your publication is quickly deteriorating. Please reconsider publication of the anonymous, and, in my opinion, false statements which you call a survey. That article as I saw it on Friday would not serve the best interests of any party involved - the editor, the teachers, but most of all - the businesses of downtown Exeter. "Many teachers are looking for- ward to returning to Exeter...having realized the attractive shopping opportunities here." Dear Editor: Regarding the editorial which you published this week, l would suggest that you need to reconsider making public the results of your very unscientific (and I believe, unethical) survey of business owners. I visited many shopkeepers on Friday morning, and found them all cordial and friendly. Some of them had not even heard of your survey. Some of them had even found a silver lining with hundreds of teachers passing their shops. They opened their doors (and their cash drawers) and seized the oppor- tunity to do some unexpected business. Many teach- ers are looking forward to returning to Exeter (after this political situation is resolved) to do some real shopping having realized the attractive shopping opportunities here. Your cold prickly quotations could very well taint these good intentions. As for last week's editorial, I do not feel that I have betrayed the trust of parents, but rather that I am standing up for my profound belief that many parts of Bill 160 will not be in the best interests of children now or in the future. I have spent 26 years earning the trust of the parents of my students. I feel trusted and respected by many Exeter citizens whose children I have taught in my grade 1 class at Exeter Sincerely, Dianne Waun P.S. It may also interest you to know that teachers are collecting 'Coats for Kids' and items for the Food Bank, as well as planning a Shop Exeter week- end. Take the protest to the real power "I would be pleased to be part of a parental sympathy picket at the corner of Bay and King St. in Toronto." Dear Editor: As we start into this teachers strike, it seems to me that the teachers and the people of Ontario are like a home owner who has been duped by an unscrupu- lous contractor. The guy showed up at the door say- ing he could renovate and improve the house while saving the home owner lots of money. Well what house couldn't do with some improvement and who doesn't want to save some money so the homeown- er said"sure go ahead." And so the unscrupulous contractor set to work and it wasn't long before he. said "Your house is in terrible shape. We have to tear it down to fix it." And so he brings in a team of wreckers and they start to tear the house down AND THEY START _SELLING THE SALVAGE TQ "THEIR FRIENDS. At this point the homeowner started to feel a bit in- secure and he went to visit the healthcare household which had received similar treatment. All that was left was a gutted shell with Nurses, Doctors and Pa- tients desperately trying to cover the holes where the doors and windows had been. So the education homeowner went home and said "STOP". "My house could use some improvement but it does not need to be torn down and I don't want you selling it to your friends." End of parable. Let us remember that leaked docu- ments revealed that this government was planning to create a "crisis" in education so that is could carry forward its agenda. Well they have created their cri- sis. We have not had a mediocre education system We have a mediocre and dishonest government. It is time as parents and as citizens that we say enough is enough. Do not be fooled by promises to improve the education system. They are tearing it to pieces. I would be pleased to be part of a parental sympa- thy picket at the corner of Bay and King St. in To- ronto. While we are watching our kids education be jeopardized the banters, currency and stock specula- tors call the shots. Let's take the protest to the real power and the real beneficiaries of this government. Anyone interested? Give me a call. Yours sincerely, Tony McQuail Puppet on a string ...we have often been rendered completely unable to hold the line on rising employee wages and ben- efits." Dear Editor: This letter is meant to be a constructive response to Jodie Baker's attack on the "ill-informed public" and the "blatantly outrageous" liar, that according to Jodie is now the Premier of Ontario, I might say, democratically chosen by I suspect in Jodie's view another "ill-informed public." i both respect and appreciate Jodie's tremendous enthusiasm and contribution to South Huron District High School, so my remarks are certainly not to place in question her ability or her desire to do the best for her students. i have a son and daughter who hold her in very high esteem as probably one of the most effective, approachable and accessible teachers they have had. I am however concerned with her assessment of the general public who not only elect- ed the present provincial government, but also who are faithfully, each quarter, paying their education taxes, so the publicly funded educational process in our province can continue. One of the most pertinent questions in many -ratepayers minds is "If the heads of the federations so valued the views of the professionals in our schools, why did they not ask the rank and file mem- bership to vote on the present job action?" It is understandable that some "non union" citizens could make the assumption that teachers, in Jodie's words were "puppets on a string." I hope and trust that is not true. I am not "anti union". 1 belonged to a union for a short time before 1 entered the domain of "self employment". I understand they were and are need- ed in some venues to allow employees an effective lobby group. It has also been proven in several local business entities, that a good and fair employer can function without a union. There are solid arguments for both sides. The truth of the matter, from any perspective, is that often as an elected trustee, I have felt like a "puppet on a string." In'the negotiation process, as union members have continually compared their position, negatively to other jurisdictions and other labour groups, we have often been rendered com- pletely unable to hold the line on rising employee wages and benefits. Our Director continually uses the argument that we are a low spending board. This is not enough. i do not apologize for the observation by many education onlookers who are ratepayers, that many costs have got out of line. Negotiations on the trustee level, from my vantage point, do not work. Continually, when negotiations have gone to arbitration, government officials have ruled in favour of the employee groups. I personally believe one provincial bargaining unit would bring a greater accountability back into the process. Trustees, with a threat of a localstrike at the time of each contract, have proven to be incapable of the task. I wish Jodie would have explained why a govern- ment who -has no consideration for long term conse- quences would risk the comfort of the "status quo" to promote unpopular and controversial legislation 16 attempt to bring more accountability to the process, along with what I believe is a genuine desire to place our students and graduates at the optimum levels for national and global competition. Critics of the government say democracy is in danger -in Ontario. One of Jodie's OSSTF colleagues on the Main Street last week, likened Mike Harris to Hitler and Stalin. I prefer David Frum's observation "It might seem strange the Harris government of all our governments should be accused of defying the popular will. It drew upia clear and precise program, . asked the voters for a mandate to put the program into effect, won a substantial legislative majority, and has proceeded to do just what it asked permis- sion to do." Should it not be up to the electorate and the other parties to effect change at the next ballot, if it be their will? We need to remind ourselves that it was labours "saviour" Bob Rae who first realized and acted on the dilemma that the burgeoning civil service posed to the stability of our economy. He enacted the Teddy Bears Picnic he dubbed as the "Social Contract" and went his merry way to the polls. History records what happened. Labour's Dave Cooke, now chair of the EIC and many other former highly respected trustees including Dianne Cunningham, and Elizabeth Witmer have solidly entrenched themselves in the reforms of Bill 160. I refuse to be called a "Teacher Basher'. My record in the support of those who taught me and my children stands solid, in fact I have been compli- mented by teachers for that very reason. That does not mean I cannot believe in positive change. I reject the pronouncement that Eileen Lennon and Earl Manners are promoting this civil disobedience in the form of an illegal strike on behalf of my children and myself. I refuse as Jodie chose, to stoop to calling them "blatant" liars. In fact I would encourage Jodie to educate the ill-informed electorate why she feels Mike Harris is a liar. Her letter last•week fails to do just that. I implore the government duly elected by Ontarians to stay the course. I plead with the the teachers to return to class and if their convictions are strong to mobilize their forces and expend their resources in educating the electorate for the next provincial election. This would surely be democracy in its finest form. I fear if this government and suc- cessive governments continue to bow to minorities, Charter Schools and the voucher system may become a very attractive alternative to our publicly funded system. Sincerely, Bch Heywood