District ‘has a plan’ if court’s ruling on teachers stands

NEWS — The school district will be ready whatever happens in the courts with respect to a ruling on teachers’ bargaining rights, says superintendent Terry Sullivan.

“It’s not my intention to raise anxiety but I want to make it clear we do have a plan,” he told a meeting of trustees tonight (Monday).

B.C. Supreme Court justice Susan Griffin ruled Jan. 27 that the provincial government had violated teachers’ bargaining rights by taking away their right to bargain class sizes going back to 2002.

It’s estimated the ruling could cost the Kamloops district more than $4 million if it has to go back to teacher levels of 2001. Some 50 more teachers and support staff would be needed, and portables would have to be placed at some schools.

The government filed a notice of a motion along with 10 affidavits Friday requesting a stay of proceedings that would put two terms of Griffin’s decision on hold until an appeal is heard.

The hearing on the stay of proceedings is set for this Friday.

Sullivan said he filed two affidavits for the hearing — one on the impact of the decision if the district maintains the status quo but receives additional funding, and one on the impact it would have within the existing budget.

“Both are hypothetical,” he said.