Last week a BC Supreme Court Judge exposed the rotten underbelly of the BC government's relationship with teachers and the public education system.
The BC Supreme Court reviewed secret cabinet documents and concluded that the B.C. government failed to negotiate with the BC Teachers Federation in good faith and in fact deliberately tried to provoke a full-scale strike at B.C. schools. The judge fined the province $2 million dollars in damages.
Premier Christy Clark was the Education Minister when this scheme was hatched in 2002. In my opinion, she owes BC an apology for trying to push children, their families and our school system into chaos for political gain.
A child who entered kindergarten when Premier Clark was first made education minister will graduate this year having spent all their years in school in larger classes with fewer supports because of her legislation.
Legislation that the BC Courts have twice found unconstitutional.
After an apology, the fair-minded way forward for the government is clear: release the cabinet documents to come clean about what has been done in the past, stop wasting taxpayer dollars on legal appeals, and start figuring out how to rebuild our education system.
More information here:
- Times Colonist Editorial: provoking strike was shameful
- Globe & Mail: Clark must release Cabinet documents on negotiations with teachers
- Court decision proves BC Liberals put students last: http://bit.ly/1mdMmqA
- Christy Clark must explain role in provoking school strikes: http://bit.ly/1in6xgM
- BC Liberals’ lead negotiator admitted plan was to provoke a full-scale strike, keep children home from school: http://bit.ly/1eXtCGg
- Reality Check: Christy Clark’s real record on education: http://bit.ly/1mhBoQT
- Question Period February 12, 2014 http://bit.ly/1oqCJDs
- Question Period February 13, 2014 http://bit.ly/1eUsKUk
Please feel free to share your opinion with me: lana.popham.mla@leg.bc.ca
Lana
