Budget Axe May Grind Away Toronto Teachers – Good Riddance

Last night, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) had to reduce its annual operating budget – in the Province of Ontario, Canada, public school boards aren’t allowed to be in debt.

On the budget chopping block are numerous full and part-time teaching positions, mostly in the high school level.

Good riddance to the bloated, ego-maniacal teachers – serves them right if they lose their jobs.

Normally, I’d have the utmost respect for those charged with educating our kids.

However, since the school year began last September, our kids have been stuck in the middle of a labour war between the teachers, their union, and the Province of Ontario.

The province imposed – as they are rightfully allowed to being the public school teachers employer – a new contract, which the union didn’t like.

Since then, there have been random walkouts, picket lines and worse for the future leaders of tomorrow – no extra-curricular activities.

There’s more to life than reading, writing and arithmetic – although those are important. The after school sports, clubs and events which has been a part of most children’s – until this school year – foundation of learning forms the basis for learning more than books can teach.

From being a good sport, to learning how to work well with others, to thinking outside the box – sounds a lot like what you’d find in a job ad – extra-curricular activities teach our kids how to function in society, and lead meaningful lives.

That is unless you live in Ontario, where the teachers haven’t been doing their job.

At first blush, it appears to be a labour issue, where the teachers and their union are working to rule in protest against their boss, the provincial government.

But just two weeks ago, the union asked teachers to resume extra-curricular activities, as the union was forging ahead with negotiations. Most of the teachers – the good apples – joyfully did just that.

But according to the union, about 20 percent of the province’s teachers are holding out, STILL refusing to give kids the education they need, by refusing to do extra-curricular activities.

These bad apples aren’t just holding innocent children hostage, they are now making it clear they don’t deserve to have a good paying government job.

As unemployment worldwide climbs in the worst depression since the Great Depression, apathy is anything but your friend. And lazy-ass teachers, can’t hide behind their union in Ontario and claim extra-curricular activities are part of their protest – the union made it clear that’s not the case anymore.

So, when school boards across the province face laying off slacker teachers to balance their budgets, cry me a river, because they deserve the seeds they sowed.

Unfortunately, another “benefit” of unionized labour is time in. The longer you’ve been in the union, the more clout you carry, and that means the teachers that most likely will face unemployment are the young new ones, which aren’t necessarily lazy-ass slackers.

Unionized labour – good grief.

Teachers Harm Their Students in Blind Self Interest

As the economy continues to nose dive, labour unrest grows, as everyone is worried about their job.

That’s understandable, given a job is the foundation for keeping us fed, clothed and sheltered in our modern, always on and available world.

From pilots, at a small Canadian airline – Porter – going on strike, to the loss of Twinkies in the States thanks in part to a union’s increasing costs to the profit losing-company Hostess, organized unions aren't very – well – organized – these days.

The latest victim to the labour movement are perhaps those most unprepared for it – our children.

In Canada’s largest province, Ontario, the province’s teachers union is organizing an illegal strike, because they don’t agree with their latest collective agreement.

Granted, that collective agreement was mandated upon them by the government, however, last I checked, the government was well within its legal and some may argue ethical, rights to do just that.

Since the school year began last September, the teachers just haven’t been very deserving of apples, as they hold our kids hostage all so they can guarantee something no one can anymore – job security and salary increases. The teachers have stopped hosting extra-curricular activities, coaching school sports teams, and even forced kids to cross picket lines.

Imagine, being a scared child, and having to be rushed through an angry mob just to get to class!

Maybe Ontario’s teachers skipped economics class, because most know when the economy tanks, job security and guaranteed wage increases just don't happen.

Unless you've got a mafia – I mean union boss – threatening – I mean negotiating – on your behalf.

Seriously, unions act just like organized crime. They come around, force you to sign up for “protection,” threaten your job if you refuse, and then they go out and bully your manager if they don’t get what they want.

Maybe they can enlist the cast of The Sopranos to do a new TV show, only instead of leading a crime family of gangsters, Tony Soprano will lead a group of high school teachers?

Whatever happened to teachers that gave a damn about teaching? Where did the teachers go that actually got into the profession to shape future generations?

Millions of people globally are struggling just to find a basic job – yet the average Ontario teacher makes a very comfortable middle-class income, and all we ask of them is to take care of our kids so they too can have a future.

Mr. Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, you’re too nice. You should abolish the union, fire any teacher instantly that refuses to do their job, and hire one of the thousands of Ontarian’s out of work.

That’ll teach the teachers a lesson in economics.

Murder and Mayhem – Divided By Borders

While American’s mourn the devastating loss of young children and their teachers, over 300,000 Canadian kids just north of the border are running a muck.

Teacher’s across much of Canada are unionized, and in the Province of Ontario, teachers at the largest school boards in the province are staging a one day walk-out to protest the province’s plans for them. 

Since last week, school boards across the province have been staging these one day strikes, today’s just so happens to hit the biggest school boards of Toronto, Durham and Peel regions.

Ironically, teachers are protesting provincial legislation which would ban them from striking.

Only a union would protest a possible ban on striking, by holding wildcat strikes. What a way to win over parents and others, by showing just how harmful these strikes are too our children, and our community.

The province’s teachers have actually been protesting over a month, most have withdrawn their extra-curricular activities, so sports teams, student clubs and groups, and other after school programs have all been axed.

This means no more cheer leading, football, student paper, or debating club.

Not that teachers need to learn how to mentor cheerleaders, coach football, edit a newspaper, or build their confidence and public speaking through debate.

Oh wait – that’s not the point of these things – it’s all about the kids.

By cutting back on extra-curricular activities, today’s children are already losing out – big time. 

Teachers are more than just educators, they are role models, and leaders within their community.

What kind of role models are these for our children, when they demonstrate when the tough get going, they stop what they are doing either part-way or as in today’s walk out, just stop completely?

Kids across Canada’s largest province today may rejoice in a well-deserved day off. Their parents on the other hand may have been left scrambling at the last minute, trying to figure out who’s going to take care of Little Johnny while mommy and daddy need to go to work?

Student groups across the province have spoken out, crying foul too. Across much of Toronto last week, numerous high school students walked out of class to protest the cuts to extra-curricular programs, and the threats of these rotating one day strikes.

All this remember is because the government of Ontario wants to eliminate the right for teachers to strike.

Regardless of whether teachers should be allowed or not allowed to strike, all of this is raising an even bigger issue buried in the subtext of strikes, walk outs, and suspended services.

Isn't a well-rounded education about more than just reading, writing and arithmetic?

Shouldn't teachers be more concerned with shaping the future leaders of tomorrow?

School should be a place where kids go to learn, not just stuff in books, but through self-discovery, led by well-rounded adults that know there’s more to life than the stuff in a text book.

Think back to your memories of your favourite teacher – we all have one.

If you are like me – and you probably are somewhat – then your memories are of a teacher that did more than just teach.

My favourite teacher participated actively in the drama club, began the high school radio station, ran the environmental action group and more.

He didn't just teach, he helped make me who I am by encouraging me, and bringing out the real me, by allowing me – and other students in his classes and activities – to discover who they were.

That’s what school is all about – learning, growing and self-discovery.

Or at least, it should be.