We're in the grips of teacher strike fear in BC  —  just a few days before school start.  Of 31 union "threats" to withdraw services, the go-ahead has been granted by the Labour Relations Board for all except 1.  Teachers must take attendance and transmit this information to the office.

My biggest complaint has been about the ILLEGAL withholding of preparation and sending of report cards to parents.  This leaves parents bereft of critical information by which they can monitor their child's progress  —  or decide to supplement with tutoring or withdraw the child from that school.  I wrote the following essay to a local newspaper blog with my views.

“THAT'S JUST SOME PARENT ON HOLD  . . . ”

“That's just some parent on hold who called complaining about something. If you let it blink long enough, she'll go away.”  (office assistant to Joel Klein, NYC schools chancellor, about a blinking phone in the office,  from “Class Warfare” by Steven Brill, 2011)

Well, it’s finally happened!  Parents have been rendered redundant to the cause of education of their children.

In the international scheme of things teacher unions generally follow the same agendas, the same demands, the same narratives.  But, it’s only in British Columbia that the powerful BC Teachers’ Federation has gained so much in asserting control.  No doubt the air-waves are congratulating the vanguard BCTF!

I saw the Education Minister’s interview where he was pleased that the Labour Relations Board ruled that attendance must be taken and transmitted by public school teachers during the upcoming “strike”.  That ensures the babysitting function.

I read the VSB chairperson’s opinion column state this “teach only campaign” would not harm children and was in aid of building a “fair society”. 

I read and heard the BCTF president proclaim that teachers will not do administrative or bureaucratic work.

I saw how the LRB was snookered into declaring “OK” an illegal withdrawal of services  —  they are excused from preparing and sending report cards to parents and guardians.

Now we are seeing school boards abolishing recess and cautioning parents that principals and vp’s may not be available for answering questions about their children due to administrative overload.

Do not be quieted, parents.  You have very effectively been squeezed out of the picture. Deliberately and opportunistically.  Pray tell, how can parents be responsible for the education of their children?.  It’s parents who are legally responsible but the state and its employees always diminish the parental role.  In fact, many parents say they actually are disempowered and made to feel inadequate.

For people in the public school system to say that parents can still talk to their teacher, or the teacher will call is not good enough!  Remember, in BC, it is legal for teachers to complain to parents about their grievances such as opposition to FSAs.  Who wants their ears filled with this stuff?

It is patently ILLEGAL to withhold report cards.  See my selection of legalities that says so here: 

http://genuine-education-reform-today.org/2011/08/08/withholding-student-reports-is-illegal/

How come the state socialist agenda to erode and diminish the family is so successful in BC?  It’s Orwell all over  —  War is Peace  —  Families First means Families Last!

I have seen ads for teachers in British newspapers in the 80s which had on their masthead “Socialism At Work”.

And I remember reading the USA Congressional Record of 1963 during their inquiry into communist infiltration with these quotes about communist goals:

– “Discredit the family as an institution”

– “Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents”

– “Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.”

Victory for socialism but not for parents or civil society! I’m sick to my stomach with this takeover and parents usurped!