Dear Editor:
I have had the opportunity to walk on the picket lines over the last few weeks with teachers from three different unions: the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF).
The contributions of teachers are becoming more evident to me as they explain how they have to deal with poor behaviour of students, when they really want to teach.
Each teacher I talked with was quick to tell me, usually without being asked, that their strikes are not about more money. They want smaller class sizes and more help when a high proportion of students have special needs.
There were also insightful comments about students expected to take mandatory online courses. As a university professor, having taught some online courses, I appreciate that many undergraduate students, let alone high school students, struggle with online courses unless there is considerable help from a real teacher to help guide them, as motivation flags.
Teachers understand their daily realities and if they don’t stand up now to improve conditions for our students, then who will and when? They contribute to the potential of young innovators today and tomorrow. They deserve our support.
Ralph Martin,
Retired professor,
University of Guelph
