NDP responds to teachers’ vote

The Saskatchewan NDP is urging the education minister to back up the promise of talking to teachers with the resources needed to deal with classroom issues.

On Monday, the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation announced the results of a sanctions vote which could see members refuse to take work home, not participate in leading extracurricular activities, or even stage rotating walkouts.

NDP Education Critic Carla Beck said the vote showing 90 per cent of teachers in favour of some form of action should send a strong message to the government to take meaningful action to address issues of class size and composition.

“There’s a great deal of concern from students and parents about the possibility to disrupt classroom learning,” Beck told reporters. “I think that’s why it is really, really imperative that the minister finds a way to listen to teachers, to talk with them and to provide assurances that they are actually serious about addressing issues of class size and composition, addressing some of the issues that teachers have brought to the table.”

Beck expressed hope the meeting Tuesday between Education Minister Gord Wyant, teachers and school boards will come up with real solutions to classroom issues that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone paying attention.

“Time and time again we have seen a willingness from the minister to strike a side table or have conversations, but not a willingness to actually provide that predictability (or) that adequacy in funding,” Beck said. “I think that’s what not only teachers but what school boards and parents are looking for. We haven’t seen that yet.”

Beck said no one wants a strike, but she hopes Wyant understands it is up to him to show leadership to work with teachers and school boards to prevent potential disruptions to kids’ learning.