Open letter to Donna. Sargent, chair of the Richmond School Board of Education.
Over the past week, I have asked parents to tell me how this strike/lockout has impacted them. The same message keeps repeating itself. The words, "upset", "confused," "frustrated," "uncertain" keep coming up. As one parent, Leslie, puts it, "I am maxed out and am totally done with the lack of resolution of teachers' issues. I feel that the government needs to get this done, and before the summer is completely gone and we are faced with possible continued strikes into the fall."
On July 11, I had a meeting with MLA Linda Reid and I asked her what more parents can do to express their dissatisfaction and urgency to come to resolve this impasse and she told me that I/we could do nothing. She pointed out that neither one of us sits at the bargaining table and that I should just go and enjoy the summer at least for the next few weeks.
How can parents enjoy their summer when there is so much uncertainty going into the new school year? How can I enjoy my summer knowing that my son might not get to go on his Grade 8 camp trip, or that the kids going into kindergarten might not get a smooth, gradual entry into their first few weeks of school? The government and Reid tells us that other unions have settled for less and have been more reasonable. Gabriela said this best; "I believe that the teachers' union is one of the most important unions our government needs to take care of as they hold the future in their hands, their dreams and their chances of learning and preparing to be productive members of society." A similar theme echoed from Alice that, "Education is not a business. Kids have the right to receive education under all circumstances. Neither the government nor the teachers should sacrifice our kids because of the disagreement between them." The government has to address the important issues of class size and composition. That is our childrens' learning environment and should not be ignored.
Anne Chen, President Richmond District Parents' Association (RDPA). For the full letter look online at www.richmond-news.com
