Dear Mr. Abbott,
Until recently I have thought of you as a fair-minded person, however your stance on the teacher contract problem has made me question this.
I am really appalled at the priorities of your government. The amount you spent on the B.C. Place roof would have provided the needed funding to give the help the education system needs and to provide a small increase in teachers' salaries.
I have seen how hard my grandchildren's teachers have worked during this limited strike to make sure that the children did not suffer and that the parents were kept well aware of their progress.
I'm sure that teachers chose this
limited method of protest to minimize the effect on the classroom, and to have their efforts disregarded must be
frustrating in the extreme.
Could the money that is being spent by your government on advertisements (taxpayer money) be redirected to the education of children and a modest cost of living and/or increase to teachers salaries?
Could some money be redirected from private school funding? Could a modest decrease in MLA benefits be redirected to public education?
I find it reprehensible that teachers are being held responsible for the health of the education system when it seems to me that they are the ones who are trying to support and protect it.
The net zero stance of your government does not take into account the fact that inflation has lowered the funds available to school districts and lowered the buying power of present salaries.
B.C teachers are being left far behind their peers in other provinces.
As a retired teacher I find it hard to believe that your government can blatantly disregard the needs of education in this province when the Premier's stated priority was for Families First.
Our children are not being well served, and I fear that our province will suffer the consequences.
Margaret Dunlop
Prince George
