Remedial summer school classes ruled an essential service

NEWS/ SCHOOLS — The Labour Relations Board has ruled remedial summer schools for Grades 10, 11 and 12 are an essential service.

The ruling, which came down Friday night, specifically applies to classes for students who failed a course and can’t take it during the next school year.

An application earlier this week from the B.C. Public Schools Employers Association asked the LRB to designate as essential those summer schools in which secondary remedial programs are provided to students who have failed a secondary level course,  plus five elementary schools that operate on a year-round schedule, and custodial or health care facilities in which educational programs are provided to vulnerable students on a year-round basis.

Friday’s ruling applies to remedial classes, with a decision on the rest of the application to be made later.

Summer schools are scheduled to begin July 2 for students taking remedial courses, math camp or reading programs. Kamloops-Thompson school district superintendent Terry Sullivan told parents earlier this week that the BCPSEA’s application was fairly narrow so some summer school programs would still be affected.

Those are aren’t part of the remedial program presumably will still be impacted.

School district administrators will staff the remedial classes where possible, supplemented by teachers. The LRB ruling directs school districts to provide the local of the BCTF with a list of the Grade 10, 11 and 12 summer school courses the district will conduct.

“Enrolment in these courses will be restricted to students who failed a Grade 10, 11 or 12 course(s) and who are required to take the summer course. These are students who cannot take the failed course during the following school year.”

The district and teachers’ union are to meet no later than Thursday morning to agree on the number of teachers needed for the summer school. Lockout provisions will be removed for teachers covered by the order.

The LRB says the union can continue to picket summer school sites but must provided access for those covered by the order.