Nearly 2000 supporters show up to education rally in Saskatoon

After Saskatchewan Teachers voted in favour of sanctions Friday, an education rally was held outside the office of Sask Party MLA Paul Merriman on Saturday.

Thousands of parents, children and teachers showed up to the rally.

Nathan Bromn, Vice President of Saskatchewan Teachers Federation (STF) said the support shown today means this is no longer just an issue that teachers want to bring awareness too.

“It is an issue for our parents, for our grandparents, for community members,” said Bromn. “We want to see better for our students in our schools, the under funding has made our classrooms unable to manage.”

Bromn spoke to the public as more than just the Vice President of STF, he also spoke to them as a parent.

“As a parent my kids learning needs are not being met,” said Bromn. “We need to do better. Our province needs to better to fund our classrooms.”

Speakers at the rally were upset by a comment from the Saskatchewan Government that said teachers aren’t parents.

Bromn said that comment couldn’t be more wrong.

“Many of us are parents we have our own children …, and if not that we consider the students that we work with everyday and extension of our family,” said Bromn. “We care about their social needs, their health needs, their academic needs.”

Bromn said he finds it quite insulting when the government makes comments like that saying teachers don’t understand the needs of their students in the classroom.

Last Friday the Parental Right’s Bill was passed through the Legislature, in that bill was a mandation that every school in Saskatchewan fly a Saskatchewan Flag.

Bromn said it’s a concerning thing that, that took priority over the education budget.

“When you are saying that you can’t resource a classroom properly and then ask school divisions to spend upwards of $6000 per flag pole at their school that’s just very concerning,” said Bromn. “It just shows where their lack of priorities are for the classroom.”

Sign found at education rally in Saskatoon (Will Mandzuk/650CKOM)

Parent’s of students who attend public schools in Saskatoon also spoke at the rally to share their experiences.

Peter Garden, Parent said he chose to speak because of the struggles his kids have faced in school.

“Both of our kids have dyslexia and the supports just aren’t there to get our kids more confident in school, confident in reading,” said Garden. “Our oldest, we found out late that he had dyslexia, so there was a lot of catching up to do …. and the supports just weren’t available in the schools.”

Garden said it’s really heartwarming to see this many people care about the issue.

“We know that teachers care, we know that they’re doing their best with the limited resources that they have,” said Garden. “We have no doubt that the teachers have our best interest at heart.”

With sanctions being voted for, the concern of a strike does loom.

When asked if they would understand why teachers went on strike and if they would support them Garden and Rachel Engler-Stringer both said yes.

“Hundred per cent,” said Garden.

“Yeah, absolutely,” said Engler-Stringer, Parent.

Engler-Stringer explained why she would understand and why she believes others would understand too.

“Parents will be there, we’re the ones who’ll be at home with our kids,” said Engler-Stringer. “Hopefully we understand that if they do take job action, that it’ll be because it’s in the best interest of our kids.”

The STF said they do not want to strike and they hope to reach an agreement.