To the Editor,
I was once again unimpressed by yet another superb performance given by the Liberal government to assure the public that it possesses integrity.
Draped in pink standing on the lawn of the legislature, Premier Christy Clark gave a sermon to youth about the evils of bullying, while ironically inside, her bully buddies push through the first reading of Bill 22 (School (Impoverished) Improvement Act).
The pretty smug-in-pink premier lectured, “If you guys stand up because you see someone being bullied and you say, ‘I’m not for that. That’s not OK with me and you have to stop it right now.’ And our responsibility, every single one of us is to stand up, for the underdog, for the person who can’t stand up for themselves, for the person who needs your help. That’s what makes a great citizen. That’s what makes a great society. Bullying stops here.”
In her duplicitous manner, Clark neglected to warn the young audience that standing up for what is right is wrong and punishable – consequences of confronting a bully include harsher working conditions, job loss, hefty fines, loss of autonomy, reduced wages, stress, anxiety and a stripping of rights.
Over the last eight years I have seen programs cut drastically, some to the point of non-existence.
Programs designed for students with special needs have been amalgamated with support, online learner and at-risk student classes; they are an overcrowded mish-mash of needs – a catch-all, dumping ground “for the under-dog, for the person who can’t stand up for themselves, for the person who needs [your] our help.”
I have witnessed services drop to critically low levels, class sizes increase, student needs diversify, EA support be reduced or eliminated, supplies dwindle, buildings decay with Band-aid maintenance, staff morale plummet, wages decline as the cost of living skyrockets.
I fear for the future of our children, for the lifespan of public education, and for equitable services for all. Mostly, I fear for democracy.
On Feb. 29, people wore pink to bring awareness to bullying and to bring a stop to it. As a teacher, I wore pink as did most of the students.
I also support the BCTF in the fight against the biggest bully in schools – the Liberal government.
To the bullies of Bill 22, “I’m not for that. That’s not OK with me and you have to stop it right now. Bullying stops here.”
We teachers will continue to stand up for what’s right and we won’t be bullied into complacency. That’s what makes a great citizen.
Leila Rai
Nanaimo