May 12
11
Parents vs. militant teacher union
The Nanaimo Daily News – May 7, 2012
Letter: Parents rejecting public school and hostile union
Re: ‘Education should not be a commodity’ (Daily News, May 4)
Like any commodity or service, education involves the exchange of money from consumers to providers. If consumers don’t feel they are getting good value they begin to look for alternatives, in this case, private schools. Parents want schools to focus on math, sciences, English, history and social studies, while the BCTF insists on propagandizing children with programs on “social justice,” climate change, gay/lesbian/bi-sexual transgender and two spirited inequities, the inherent evils of capitalism and other ‘progressive’ shibboleths.
Let’s call a spade a spade: The BCTF is the most hostile and socialist trade union in British Columbia and many families do not want to put their kids under the direction and care of a militant, social activist organization. Rather than offering what parents want, the BCTF tries to coerce government into reinforcing their monopoly by demanding the elimination of funding to private schools. Parents aren’t stupid.
While paying 100% of their school taxes, they receive only 50% back if they choose private schooling. Yet increasing numbers of parents are choosing the alternative, despite that penalty and the additional tuition required to make up the balance. The division is clearly drawn.
In choosing alternative schooling for their children, parents are saying “we don’t want what you are offering,” while the BCTF is telling parents that should their militancy succeed their union will control education and “you’ll take what we offer because there won’t be any alternative allowed.”
Randy O’Donnell
Nanaimo