Hey, teacher, leave 'em kids alone

Richmond - The Editor, Re: "Our children deserve better," Letters, June 11 While it is evident that this teacher has acted on a conviction that she must speak out in defense of her profession, she has done so in contravention of the BCTF Code of Ethics which governs the actions of members of the federation.I am surprised that she has chosen to inject a child, a former student, into the conflict between the BCTF and the employer's association for the purpose of gaining a political, ideological advantage for teachers in this dispute.As a long time educator, I remind her, and all members of my profession, of the third statement in that professional code of conduct, "The teacher recognizes that a privileged relationship with students exists and refrains from exploiting that relationship for material, ideological, or other advantage."In this current dispute, and those that have gone before, it has become acceptable to use our children to further the federation's negotiating stance, to the point where teachers now do not recognize when they have stepped outside of ethical behaviour.I am further surprised that even after taking her students to the Legislature in an effort to teach them about our governance system, the writer does not know that the Office of the Speaker is an apolitical appointment.Calling upon the Speaker to take a political stance is ineffective and inappropriate. The Speaker is prohibited from acting as suggested.This public action has resulted in no gain for teachers and has hurt a child and family by breaking the trust they placed in a teacher to protect and respect her students.Should the writer wish to make amends for her actions, she will make a public apology to her former student and family and urge her colleagues to stop using students for political and personal gain.Maureen McDermidRichmond