Any hope of seeing our kids back in school where they belong for the start of the academic year has been dashed.
Now even the most optimistic among us are making plans for our kids well into October.
Looming large in the negotiations, or lack thereof, are the two court rulings that found the Liberals' 2002 bill to strip teachers of their right to bargain class size and composition unconstitutional.
At issue seems to be a controversial clause in the government's proposal that states the teachers will voluntarily set aside whatever future court ruling they may win for the duration of the contract. Unable to win in the courtroom, the province seems determined to use the negotiating table to appeal their already highly questionable appeal. In Las Vegas, that's called hedging your bet.
Whether the plan is to starve the teachers out or eventually force them back to work with legislation, we're a far way from the 10 years of labour peace with the B.C. Teachers' Federation Premier Christy Clark promised as she swept to power.
The two sides of the dispute continue to issue dueling press releases, repeating the same rhetoric as when bargaining went off the rails in the spring.
"Affordable for taxpayers," "fair and reasonable" and "willing to negotiate" have been uttered so many times, the words have lost all meaning.
Meanwhile our kids sit at home or in "strike camp."
Would whoever is responsible for seeing British Columbia's kids get an education, please step forward?
