Dear Editor:
An open letter to Education Minister Peter Fassbender and the BCTF:
When is it time to cut the losses?
To the government: Instead of wasting more taxpayers' money on an appeal of a decision that has previously gone against you and will undoubtedly continue to go against you, why not move forward? Here's an idea: pay the fine ($2M is a drop in the bucket compared to what you are about to spend), make a good-faith attempt at making up with the BCTF members (people who, by the way, vote) by paying back the salaries that were lost by employees when they engaged in the strike that the court has said you goaded them into, and tell them that you are prepared to move forward. Moving forward means that you will abide by the rulings of the court and reinstate class sizes, specialists, and everything else that was stripped away. You can't go back and decrease class sizes from years ago but you can move forward and improve the future learning conditions. It's all about the kids, right?
To the BCTF: Instead of wasting more members' money on engaging in legal fights with the government, let's hope that you can move forward too (yes, I know that will require the government recognizing the folly of their ways on this ruling). Here's an idea: accept the $2M from the government, ask for the repayment of employees' salaries from the strike, which the court has said that the government pushed upon the BCTF, and move forward. We cannot go back and replace specialists and lower class sizes retroactively. All we can do is push for improvements in the system from this date forward. Do not engage in any more payback than reasonable and perhaps we can get somewhere. It's all about the kids, right?
To the voters: Start asking your MLA and/or premier why the government continues to believe they are above the law. This is a dangerous belief for a government to have. Ask them to make better use of your money by putting it into the education system and not the legal system by continuing to fight court rulings. Ask them to build better education system for students. It's all about the kids, right?
Sue Kennedy
North Vancouver
