Ontario Teachers Strike, Government Blinks, Kids Lose

On Wednesday my children brought home papers informing us that on Monday December 10th there will be  no classes for them as the teachers are striking for one day. Later that night, I heard that the union has picked 2 school Boards - Avon/Maitland in Southern Ontario (60,000 students) and Ontario North East - a relatively small school board. That is where my children go. 

Across the street from my house is a French Catholic School (also know as private school that is funded by the public) They will be teaching on Monday. The students that go there will be getting an education.
Now before you start putting your comments on what this strike is all about...save it for the spin doctors. I have heard both arguments and I know how each side is "staying on message". The French Catholic & French Public Teachers unions both accepted the same deal that the ETFO rejected. Here's what it boils down to. The Union is in a power struggle with the Government. A struggle that in all likelihood will be won in court. That is what the experts are saying. Unfortunately that is not good enough. 

Then is the locations of the strikes...2 relatively small boards - Not Toronto...that is where the majority of the Liberal seats are...but in Northern Ontario (NDP) and in Southern Ontario (PC). Does no one else see what is happening here. First of all, it is a test. A test to see what the Government will do...the answer is - Nothing.  Second, there is a Provincial election coming up...soon - The Union recognizes this - they have been very close to this Government for the last 8 years - they don't want to burn all the bridges. Third, this effects a relatively small number of students. The Union doesn't want to upset the cart totally until they see what the Government will do.

I have family as teachers, I have friends as teachers. They  are hard working, energetic and devoted to their jobs. I also went through a teachers strike when I was in high school....a long strike...very long. I lost a math credit - I couldn't "cram" everything I needed to know in a short period of time when the teachers returned. And all through the strike the message was "no student has ever lost a credit because of a strike" I would disagree.

This is not the right move by the ETFO - They talk about Democracy...having their rights taken away. Yet if a teachers breaks rank and chooses to teach while a strike is on that teacher can be fined up to $500 a day. Not very Democratic. 

The Government has been voted in to lead. The government has been voted in to make tough choices. I see neither leadership or choices....I see politicians looking towards the next election.

In all this - The kids Lose.

Snowsquall - Sunshine - all in a hour

An interesting way to start the day – woke up, snowing out side...then I looked again, I was REALLY snowing outside. I'm not complaining, I like snow and it is January, but this stuff was really coming down. I figure that the school buses would be cancelled – and they were. So I take a look on the radar (http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/radar/index_e.html?id=WSO)    and yep, we were under a large squall. Now for anyone who doesn't live beside a great lake, let me explain a squall to you. Picture this – you are looking outside, the sun is shining and then – within minutes – you cannot see your neighbours house across the street because of the snow. I kid you not. We actually got about 15 cm's (6 inches) of snow in one hour. Add to that strong North winds and the drifts are a couple of feet. Then a half hour later, blue sky. So my daughter still wanted to go to school, so I started up the truck and a way we went. Not a very nice drive. None of the town streets were plowed, but it was snowing hard and it came down really fast. I would not dare venturing out of town on a morning like this. At least in town, the houses block some of the wind so the snow doesn't blow like it does out in the country. And I figure why would I risk my life and the life of the emergency workers that would have to come rescue me? My rule - If it's storming, I'm staying home until it clears up.

After dropping my daughter off I spent a ½ hour blowing out my driveway and I figure by noon I'll have to fire it up again. By then the snow plow would have gone by, filling the end of my driveway with a 2 foot high bank of snow.

The joys of living in Ontario !