October 6 - So it Begins - The Alberta Teacher Strike

[All In Good Time]

Its amazing how quickly some of the "wanna be edgy" posters reveal their ignorance on so many issues

[woob]

I swear, if one more person comes in here talking about teacher compensation and how they're fairly paid, all things considered, I'm going to flip my WFH desk. And that's only going to hurt me, but FFS do a MODICUM of reading on this! If this was ONLY about salaries, this would be done and over and kids would be in school.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by All In Good Time

Its amazing how quickly some of the "wanna be edgy" posters reveal their ignorance on so many issues

I'm not sure if you are referring to me, but feel free to educate us (heh) on the "so many issues" the union is striking over.

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I'm not sure if you are referring to me, but feel free to educate us (heh) on the "so many issues" the union is striking over.

Stop being so obtuse and maybe do your own homework for once.

It's been explained 5000 times since the summer.

[Looch City]

That attitude is exactly like Smith herself.

"Oh I have no idea why they're all so mad, I gave them EVERYTHING they wanted"

Shut the #### up, they rejected you 90%!

####ing idiot.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I have many friends and family who are teachers. Pretty much all of them admit 'we have it pretty good'. The defined pension is an amazing perk than most white-collar workers don't get anymore. The time off is unheard of in other professions. The salaries are very decent.

I'm not saying the union and teachers shouldn't always be asking for more, because I think all workers should always be asking for more. Power to the proletariat.

But they certainly are not hard done by in my book.

Cool! Could you leave some details of your profession so I can do a quick fire opinion over here? My opinion will stop you in your tracks. You'll be very impressed with how many people I know in your field and about how knowledgeable I seem.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Boo hoo.

If it's that bad take up a different occupation.

Good luck finding one with 10 weeks vacation, 6 hour days and a fat pension.

I don't think the point is that it is bad for teachers, it's that the current funding structure in AB is bad for students.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by woob

I swear, if one more person comes in here talking about teacher compensation and how they're fairly paid, all things considered, I'm going to flip my WFH desk. And that's only going to hurt me, but FFS do a MODICUM of reading on this! If this was ONLY about salaries, this would be done and over and kids would be in school.

I get that it's not about salaries and it's about class sizes and complexity in the classroom. What I don't think I get, is how that is going to be easily resolved. We can't just hire more teachers, and we can't just build more schools.

So, the resolution here is what? Trust that the UCP is going to do this in the years to come? I have a hard time with that, and there is no way I'm alone in that.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Slava

I get that it's not about salaries and it's about class sizes and complexity in the classroom. What I don't think I get, is how that is going to be easily resolved. We can't just hire more teachers, and we can't just build more schools.

So, the resolution here is what? Trust that the UCP is going to do this in the years to come? I have a hard time with that, and there is no way I'm alone in that.

Why not?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Why not?

Well, all I mean is that those things take time. You're not just magically constructing schools to resolve this strike. This is why I think that the resolution of the strike means trusting the government to follow through...which I know for sure is not something that you think is a great idea!

[CliffFletcher]

The province can announce funding for more schools. But based on previous pledges, you’re looking at 5+ years between when the funding is announced and when the schools start opening their doors to students.

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/pol...uditor-general

[SeeGeeWhy]

I've got three kids in the system and am still ignorant about the actual issues, but it seems like the problem is class sizes and high "accommodation" demand. It feels like they're trying to say something without actually saying it.

My conspiracy theory is that Smith wants to see as much breakdown as possible and will use this as a way to point to Ottawa's lack of control on immigration is causing social infrastructure to fail; one more reason Alberta needs to become sovereign and protect itself.

Also, can't wait to hear about how the $150/kid/week allowance offer gets scammed by people.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Slava

Well, all I mean is that those things take time. You're not just magically constructing schools to resolve this strike. This is why I think that the resolution of the strike means trusting the government to follow through...which I know for sure is not something that you think is a great idea!

OK, but those are things that have been broken for decades, and the government has failed to come through. They have now promised less teachers than needed to resolve class size issues, so what is the response supposed to be? "Sure, give us the pay deal and we'll just continue down the road to disaster" or "Enough is enough. Ball is in your court. Make actual meaningful changes or deal with the strike."


The problem is the government isn't even at the point of making promises that would improve things long term, so why lock in for more bull####? There isn't even a promise worth trusting. That's the problem. And their isn't one because the UCP wants to privatize education, and putting money and resources into the public system works directly against their ultimate goals.


Man, I wish people would at least try to understand just how evil these people are. You might then be able to put the whole picture together.

[Arsenal14]

Originally Posted by Slava

Well, all I mean is that those things take time. You're not just magically constructing schools to resolve this strike. This is why I think that the resolution of the strike means trusting the government to follow through...which I know for sure is not something that you think is a great idea!

Why have it trust based? It's possible to write a contract that has commitments included with penalties outlined as well as timelines. They could say: class size caps will start at these number and reduce at this rate over this time. Any class that is above said cap will result in additional funds being provided to the school to allow hiring of additional EAs or to compensate the teacher directly for the increased workload.

Obviously this would require starting to actually capture class size data again. In order to meet that commitment the province would need to fund the building of sufficient schools to meet growth, but that is something they claim they are doing anyway. Instead the province is just saying that class size caps are impossible because there aren't enough buildings. Guess who has the power to fix that problem?

[Dentoman]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The province can announce funding for more schools. But based on previous pledges, you’re looking at 5+ years between when the funding is announced and when the schools start opening their doors to students.

Teachers realize that there is no quick fix. My understanding is they want some concrete language around class size caps and EA hires in the contract. Government won't do it. I wouldn't trust a "pledge". Teachers have been burned by pledges multiple times

Edit: What Arsenal said

[GGG]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The province can announce funding for more schools. But based on previous pledges, you’re looking at 5+ years between when the funding is announced and when the schools start opening their doors to students.

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/pol...uditor-general

You can add portables to schools in 1-2 years pretty easily to address space
Issues

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

I don't see oil and gas workers holding parents and children hostage.

Try again.

There is nothing edgy about this. You don't like your job, find a new one. Don't expect taxpayers to foot the bill.

That is the dumbest F****** thing I've ever heard.

It's the PUBLIC school system.
Taxpayers footing the bill is the whole point.

[1_Flames_Fan]

When I was in school, admittedly a long, long time ago I think we averaged around 20 kids per class.

I have a 6 year old who is in grade one now. That poor teacher has 40 kids in her class with no EA's or other support. Minimum of 10 ESL students and 5-10 with behavioral or physical challenges.

Yea, it's a bit inconvenient to arrange childcare but you better f$@ckin' believe I stand with the teachers in this fight.

Alberta's education system has been broken for a long time and the government refuses to fix it as they have their own agenda.

[Point Blank]

Originally Posted by SeeGeeWhy

I've got three kids in the system and am still ignorant about the actual issues, but it seems like the problem is class sizes and high "accommodation" demand. It feels like they're trying to say something without actually saying it.

Not sure if I’m misreading this or you’re being sarcastic? But teachers have been pretty direct about this. If you went to the rally, 99% of the signs are about these two issues.

My conspiracy theory is that Smith wants to see as much breakdown as possible and will use this as a way to point to Ottawa's lack of control on immigration is causing social infrastructure to fail; one more reason Alberta needs to become sovereign and protect itself.

Also, can't wait to hear about how the $150/kid/week allowance offer gets scammed by people.

That might be true, but here’s something that’s not a conspiracy at all: UCP is the one responsible for Alberta’s booming population with its “Alberta is Calling Campaign” they literally created these conditions themselves and were too braindead to build the infrastructure to support their own campaign.

UCP supporters keep repeating the same points like they’ve heard it somewhere, probably some rage baiting populist talking point that they heard from rebel media that itches their animal brains, and are too dumb to think about it critically.

“Teachers are fairly compensated! 2 months off! Nice pension! But immigrants!” It’s gotten to the point I just do a deep sigh, it’s day 1 of the strike and I am unemployed and don’t have much else to do, but I can barely manage repeating the same talking points over and over and over and over and over and over again.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Slava

we can't just build more schools.

I wanted so badly to reply to this with a picture of one of those brown portables, but it seems even the internet agrees no one should have to look at that, and I can't find one.