To the Editor:
(Re: “This is the Life: Same mess, different day for B.C. teacher-government negotiations”)
I appreciate Mr. Eckersley discussing the current education issue. For me, however, this is about much more than a fair deal now.
This really makes me question the bigger picture: Are we still a democracy? If we can afford the lowest provincial corporate taxes but can’t afford a properly funded health care system, are we still a democracy? If B.C.’s richest citizens can avoid tax contributions through annual tax havens but we can’t afford to address child poverty or underfunded schools, are we still a democracy? If our government is found in contempt by our own courts but then they treat that ruling with more contempt, are we still a democracy?
As a teacher of over 30 years, I have never been treated as disrespectfully by a government as I am now being treated by Christy Clark’s Liberals. I love teaching but this makes me want to quit or at least move to another province. If the province funded all the original requests we would still not come up to the national average.
If this issue matters to you too, please join me in emailing all B.C. MLAs to get our government to stop playing games and properly fund public education.
Dan Hula
Canyon