Here's a thread for what teachers are asking for because I am sick of #lyingLecce and the PC hacks who put party before people:
Teachers want the ratio of classes to stay 22:1 with the flexibility for board needs as enrollment changes. For those saying they turned out fine and they had 34 kids in their classes - there will still be 34 kids in some classes. 22 is an average not a cap.
Teachers want e-learning to be an OPTION, not mandatory. Our students are not guinea pigs, and should not be test subjects for mandatory online learning, which is only done in the worst (literally last place in Ed) States south of our border. We want elearning to be taught by...
CERTIFIED teachers, not corporations, and e-learning courses need to have caps, too. Not to mention, access for ALL students. High speed internet and devices to get on it are not as far-reaching as #LyingLecce will lead you to believe.
Teachers want to ensure their prep periods are respected. The #OPSBA and @fordnation want to rip up all language around coverages, supervision and respecting teachers' professional planning and parent communication, and evaluation time. HANDS OFF MY PREP PERIOD.
Teachers have gotten a 5.1% pay increase since 2012. During the same time frame, inflation has been 14.87%. Teachers are not asking to catch up; they want a cost of living adjustment to keep up with inflation over the duration of the contract. Teachers pay rent, buy groceries too
Teachers also buy supplies for their classrooms, spend unpaid hours away from home and their families to run your kids' clubs, groups, and teams. They are single parents, too. If this was all about money, would they be taking unpaid days to walk a picket line?
PC trolls say that there is no money; why is there money to launch multimillion dollar lawsuits to break contracts? Why is there money to pay the head of EQAO $140k/yr when it used to be $6k/yr? Why are they giving tax breaks to the rich, instead of funding public services?
People say, "I haven't gotten a raise in that long either!" So, go and negotiate a raise with your employer! That's your right as a private sector worker, right? Go get your worth? My union does that negotiating for me, because that's how this works. Unions are supposed to...
... negotiate pay! And benefits! Public schools are important, and they are staffed by teachers and other ed workers, who you trust your children to -- why do you expect them, with their education and years of experience and expertise, to do this work for free or close to it?
Parents of elementary aged children: your kids' teachers are on strike; it is called a limited withdrawal of services. #OSSTF is doing that too, in addition to rotating picket lines (full withdrawal). We are doing so so that when your kid gets to high school, their classes...
.... will be small, they will have a voice and choice in how they learn (whether it is online or not), and their teachers and other ed workers will be healthy, fairly compensated, and have their professional time respected. These demands are not unreasonable. #NoCutsToEducation
