In Support of BC Teachers

We, the students of British Columbias high schools, believe that our Provincial Government should concede to negotiations with the British Columbia Teacher's Federation. By working together towards a collective agreement, education can be restored to a state that is beneficial for both teachers and students.

To include teachers in this process is crucial. By refusing to speak with the men and women of BCs today who shape the young minds of BC's tomorrow, the Provincial Government can only set itself, and its students, up for failure.

We, the students, also believe that the illegal strike action of our teachers is necessary in order to reclaim public education, and to restore it to a state where future graduating classes will leave school with not only the knowledge needed to obtain a degree, but the life skills and emotional capacity to become productive members of society.

As high school students, we are outraged that our government has decided to deny us a proper learning environment during our most important years of schooling. Due to their refusal to acknowledge the legitimacy of the teachers protest, classrooms sit idle while students are denied the opportunity to play team sports in hopes of receiving an athletics scholarship. Other students are denied tutorial help which they require to simply pass a course. On an even more serious note, all current Grade 12 students are being denied knowledge needed for their provincial exams, academic scholarship opportunities and post-secondary information.

Therefore, we the students demand that the Provincial Govt., specifically Labour Minister Mike De Jong, Education Minister Shirley Bond and Premier Gordon Campbell, engage in contract negotiations with the teachers of British Columbia. BC high school students support BC teachers.