This week, I saw another announcement from the Saskatchewan Teacher’s Federation, stating a province wide strike was planned for March 20. This is the fifth day of education that has been taken away from our children because two parties cannot sit and discuss things.
While my kids, who are all teenage boys, think it’s great to not have another day off school, they don’t realize what this means. The school year will not be extended into the summer months to make up for the lost time and who would want to go to school when the weather is beautiful? Therefore, the curriculum is essentially being condensed into the days that remain in the school year.
But that is not ideal either. What about that kid who is struggling with some subjects? They are trying hard to figure it out, but because the strike action days and the larger class sizes, the teachers move quickly onto the next lesson and do not have the time to work with students one-on-one. Some teachers offer help during lunch or after school however the removal of noon supervisions and extra-curricular activities after school hours has limited the time for that extra help.
I do believe our teachers are advocating for our children and their education. Teachers become an extension of a child’s family and sometimes students spend way more time at school than at home. Educators had to overcome the challenge of teaching during a pandemic, knowing full well how important an education is.
Why is the government dragging their feet in the sand? With a provincial election coming up, one would think the minister of Education would want to meet up with the STF and rectify the situation. His career and future depend on the teachers, much like the Saskatchewan students. The Sask Party will also see an effect from the choice of not going back to the table. The number of supporters will decrease which will equate to fewer votes at the next election.
How our government is treating the educators is not right. Staff members have been asking for help, hoping to see some relief within the classrooms. The attitude the government is “that’s not my job” which is telling everyone it’s OK to not take some ownership. Gone are the days when if a job needed to be done, everyone came together to get it done.
So, my question is simple. When will you and they learn?
