Appeal ruling means status quo in schools

NEWS — Kamloops schools won’t have to scramble for more teachers and classroom space to satisfy a court ruling against the provincial government, at least not yet.

Justice David Harris ruled today in favour of a government application to temporarily stay an earlier B.C. Supreme Court ruling in favour of teachers that restored their bargaining rights on classroom sizes.

The effect of that ruling would been an expensive increase in teachers and classrooms. School District 73 superintendent Terry Sullivan said earlier that the district had a plan to satisfy the ruling, but trustees were worried about the cost and disruption.

Justice Harris said the consequences of allowing the decision favouring the teachers to go into effect before a government appeal is heard couldn’t be reversed if the appeal succeeds.

“It is clear, in my view, that the harm suffered in implementing the judgment is irreparable,” the Canadian Press quoted from his decision on the government’s application.

Education Minister Peter Fassbender welcomed the delay, saying “We now are going to allow the court process to take its natural course, and what I am again focusing on, we need to go back to the bargaining table.”