Skip to content

Teachers' union removes all after-hour supports

BCTF dictate passed and teachers withdraw extracurricular activies

The future of this year's after-hours graduation activities, field trips, sports events and other activities is up in the air with the recent removal of volunteer services provided by public school teachers.

In protest of the government's Bill 22 legislation, British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF) members voted 73 per cent in favour of a withdrawal of all extracurricular activities, April 17-19.

Cariboo-Chilcotin Teachers' Association (CCTA) president Joan Erb confirms all activities requiring teacher participation outside of class time will only take place if alternate organizers and/or supervision can be arranged.

"The extracurricular does include grad. Some locals have their graduation ceremonies during instructional hours ... so then teachers participate [fully]."

Any extracurricular activities where administration staff and parents can't fill the void will be cancelled, she explains.

Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School (PSO) usually holds its cap-and-gown graduation ceremonies in the evening, but it's not clear how, or if, that will happen now.

PSO principal Vic Brett says the news is still "too fresh" to comment on the impact on grad or other activities until the

issue has been reviewed by the school district administration.

 

School District 27 superintendent Diane Wright says the district office is working with the principals to determine how they can offer a grad ceremony for each of its secondary schools, and will finalize decisions by April 30.

"It might look a little different, but we are planning on having a grad ceremony for the Grade 12s at each of the three [senior secondary] schools."

However, previously "invested-in" activities will go forward, including certain drama productions and field trips, Wright adds.

"What I understand right now is trips and activities where a financial commitment has already been made will proceed."

Meanwhile, Erb says teachers can attend after-class grad ceremonies as spectators, but can't sit with staff.

"It's very disappointing that we've been put in this position, but withdrawing extracurricular is our last defence that we have to fight Bill 22."

She adds Bill 22 violates not only "violates" teachers constitutional rights, but also their collective bargaining rights.

All unions have the right to collectively negotiate a contract, Erb explains, yet Bill 22 takes that right away.

"Bill 27 and 28 were deemed unconstitutional, and yet [those are] part of Bill 22. It also impeaches our collective agreement in areas, such as post-and-fill and professional development, as well as class size and class composition."

The BCTF has been "pushed into a corner" and must insist teachers withdraw all voluntary activity, she adds, as a last-ditch effort to "send a message" to the people of the province and the B.C. Liberal government.

"I'm going to call an emergency [CCTA] executive meeting and decide 'what is our stance on this, how far are we willing to take it'."

Whether all teachers will follow all of the guidelines set out by the BCTF is yet to be seen, however, Erb says teachers have exhibited "very mixed emotions" since the results of the vote were revealed.

"We have many teachers who started doing planning for trips and what-not way back in September, and I'm not sure what those teachers are going to decide yet. The CCTA will respect the choices that teachers make."