To the Editor,
Re: Parents, students upset over camping trip cancellation, May 15.
Presently, teachers are in a juggling act making every effort to meet their obligations as teachers to parents and students while simultaneously supporting their union’s attempt to have government address the real issues of in-school conditions relating to class size and composition among other important topics.
Teachers are not being hard-hearted, but are making every effort to be there for students during class time.
As for the class trips outside of school hours, they are also trying to make accommodations.
But what are the administrators doing? I know some are going the extra mile to “make things work for everyone”, but it would seem the local school board is hiding behind the “insurance and liability issues.”
If all that is required is a school district employee to oversee the event and that employee cannot be a teacher this year as in the past, what stops an administrator, education assistant, or other district employee from fulfilling that role?
If the government mantra that “it’s all about the students” has any real meaning, it would step in to take on the insurance and liability needed to make this year’s special field trips possible.
Or are the teachers the only ones the school district allows to be there at the camps or events for insurance and liability purposes?
C. Patton
Nanaimo