Thread by @Ontarioteacher5

So much of these negotiations/strike talks have been focused on numbers - specifically, 1% or 2%. In reality, that’s not even the focus of what teachers are fighting for. In order to highlight why I am striking, I wanted to provide some other numbers that are meaningful to me.

3.5 - number of years I’ve been teaching in the same grade, same school
102 - number of students I’ve taught in these 3.5 years

6 - number of students I’ve taught with complex medical needs that I’ve been responsible for meeting while at school (epilepsy, diabetes)
5- number of epileptic seizures that have happened in my class
27 - number times a diabetic student has had their numbers drop below 4.0

6 - number of students who have fainted or lost consciousness due to medical issues
0 - number of students with complex medical needs who had EA support in my class

9 - number of students I’ve taught with autism
0 - number of EAs that have ever been assigned to my class
4 - number of times I’ve been physically injured by a student (that number is low - I have been lucky)
16 - number of students I’ve regularly brought lunches for

18 - number of students who were abandoned by their mothers
65 - number of students being raised in single-parent homes, due to divorce, death, addiction or mental health
8 - number of students with parent(s) incarcerated during the time I taught them

12 - number of times I’ve evacuated my students due to a violent situation from another student
48 - number of times my class has had to lock our door and stay inside our room, sometimes missing recess, due to a violent situation in the hallway

6 - number of students who have lost a parent to unnatural causes during our time together, including overdose and suicide
50+ - number of fights I’ve broken up on recess duty
9 - number of students I’ve taught who’ve been in foster care

9 - number of times my students have been caught smoking or vaping at school
2 - number of times my students have been caught drinking alcohol at school
3 - number of students caught with weapons at school
2 - number of students caught with drugs at school

4 - number of times students in my class have attempted suicide
16 - number of students who have self-harmed
19 - number of students who have confided to me about domestic violence they have witnessed or experienced

47 - number of times I’ve had students break down in my arms about awful things they’ve witnessed or experienced (ex. Finding a parent who overdosed or a sister who had suicided, a pet being kicked and badly injured by a parent, a parent being arrested, being apprehended by CAS)

29 - number of times I’ve had students purposely miss the bus because they don’t want to go home
1 - number of social workers assigned to a district with a population of 1100 students
64 - number of times I’ve called CAS about something a student has reported to me

And now, it’s time for what I feel are the most powerful numbers.

8 and 9 - the age of the students I teach.

Yes, that’s right - I teach Grade 3/4. Now go back and read the above numbers again and tell me if it doesn’t break your heart. Our students are dealing with a lot.

Our fight is not for compensation - it is for support. I’m doing everything I can to help my students but I know it’s not enough. We need more supports in our school. #etfostrong #stopthecuts #cutshurtkids #onpoli

For all of you depending on your own elementary school experiences to justify why YOU believe teachers are underworked and overpaid - please pay attention. Classrooms are NOT the way they were 20 years ago. Times have changed. #cutshurtkids #ETFOstrike #ETFOstrong

#Istrikebecause all of the above numbers matter. Because they are kids who deserve support. #ETFOstrong #cutshurtkids