Parents on warpath over school delay
Image from Facebook page Parents Actively Protest.
NEWS/ SCHOOLS — Kamloops parents angry over the failure of teachers and the provincial government to settle their dispute will take it to the street in front of MLA Todd Stone’s office Tuesday, the day classes were supposed to start for the new school year.
A group of parents is organizing a protest outside Stone’s office at 446 Victoria St. at 10 a.m. A Facebook page has been started to rally support, and parents are being encouraged to bring their children with them.
“Parents! We want our kids in school!” says the Facebook page, called Kamloops Parents Actively Protest.
“Bring your signs, bring your kids, bring your noise! It is time for action from our government!”
The parents are being asked to wear orange “in solidarity with each other.”
A post on the site suggest parents bring protest signs with slogans such as “Education before stadiums,” “Teachers not Tankers” and “(Class) Size Does Matter.”
The rally is part of an attempt to generate a province wide protest among parents, after mediator Vince Ready left discussions aimed at getting the two sides in the dispute to come to terms.
In early June, a similar protest was organized by students who staged walkouts at schools across the province, including Kamloops, where a few dozen students left classes for a couple of hours.
The parents appear determined to make their protest more sustained — a Vancouver Facebook page proposes they set up shifts throughout the day “and keep it going till this thing gets settled.”
Another said rallies are set for at least 12 communities.
The government said Sunday parents of students under the age of 13 can now begin registering for a $40-per-day daycare subsidy, but payment won’t be made until after the dispute is settled.
Payment will be made by cheque in a single payment sent by mail, the Ministry of Education said. “Most payments will be processed within 30 days after the month that the labour disruption ends.
“Payments for students attending kindergarten, and for students who are new to B.C. public schools, will also be made after the labour disruption ends, once enrolment for the current school year can be confirmed.”
Parents can register at http:bcparentinfo.ca/ or by calling 1-877-387-3332 or 250-387-3332.
NDP MLA Rob Fleming said Sunday that Education Minister Peter Fassbender should resign.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
Great to kids involved, it is their education on the line. However, I would hope that the kids holding placards and making noise know exactly what they are doing! I hope that each and every one of them knows all about the politics, the demands from both sides and what it is their teachers are fighting for.If they are old to be involved in this rally, then they are old enough to know the full facts, not just mindlessly parrot the views of their parents.
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The BC government official position is to let this labor dispute carry on because this way they will save money. That should tell something how much this government values education (it does not obviously). In other news (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/stats-estimate-7230-electricians-needed-over-the-next-decade-in-bc/article20290502/) 7,230 electricians will be needed in the next decade here in BC. That bags the question: who will teach them? Retired BC Liberals politicians? Terry “Hugger” Lake? Chrisy “Bobblehead” Clark?
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Why don’t they protest at BCTF office too???
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Interesting comment………yes, why don’t they?
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Great that parents and kids will be protesting, will anyone be in the office? Now let us say that the provincial governments bows to popular pressure and they give the BCTF everything that it wants. Is everyone willing to have their taxes doubled or even more, because what do you think the nurses will be wanting when their contract comes up for negotiation.
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Double? Really? Can you please support that assertion with some facts.
I’m no fan of the BCTF, but your blanket statement reads like fear mongering claptrap. The problem we seem to have here in the province relates more to how funds are allocated then anything. The Clark government ‘governs’ from ideology instead of balanced public policy and facts. How else do you explain over $500 million dollars being spent on a stadium roof that continues to leak instead of ensuring the foundation of public education is properly supported?
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Exactly. A new roof, a convention center, a no-snow winter Olympics.
And they say they have no money. The BC Liberals are a farce and such from the very beginning. Where was/is the “free” press?
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Well said, Kim.
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govt doesnt have their ‘basics’ priorities set right…..health and education first before buying all the luxuries. similarly, a family needs to rethink spending, if buying a Ferrari at the expense of putting food on the table and clothing the family.
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