🚀 go-pugleaf

In a fit of hysteria last week, Kelly Shields of the Surrey
Teachers Association, publicly stated that those looking for
education reform, especially in the form of charter schools, are
'right-wing fundamentalist christian anti-abortionists'.(Vancouver
Sun, Nov. 1st, 1995)

What the above (the last one is a new addition to the
fearmongering....left-wing union style) has to do with a public
education system that cannot, and never will be able to, keep up
with the modern world, only the STA can say.

I wouldn't even be dignifying this drivel with a response except
for something that was brought up at the Charter School Conference
yesterday.

It seems that in the States it is right-wing fundamentalist parent
groups that are OPPOSING education reform in favour of the status
quo.  (their status quo is very similar to our status quo by the
way, though they are much father along the road to reform than we
are)  Often these parent groups have allied themselves with UNIONS
in an effort to preserve the status quo.

Dr. Yvonne Chan, principal,  Vaughn Next Century Learning Center,
an accountable and autonomous charter school in San Fernando, CA
and herself a member of the Administrators Union, described the
success of her school:

-they have increased their school year by 37 days
-there has been a 300% improvement in academic results
-they pay teachers 12% more than district schools and have a better
benefits package
-they have reduced class size
-they have taken back neighbourhood handicapped children with a
program of full inclusion (they do not receive extra money for
these children)
-they have set up a 'one-stop social services shop' within the
school
-they are teaching parents English.
-in the first couple of years they were able to bank $1 million and
with this money they bought up two adjacent crack houses, tore them
down and built a 14-room technology addition

Dr. Chan stated that public school teachers, school administrators
and parents run this school, not government and bureaucracy.

All teachers at this school are still union members.  The role of
the union has shifted and they now supply technical advice and
legal assistance, lobbying ideas and help with training and staff
development.

In her words, the school has 'learned to play a bad hand well',
'schools are a place for kids, not for securing jobs for adults',
and she 'can now sleep at night'.

Of course, Ms. Shields, The BCTF, public school teachers and B.C.
Ministry of Education officials could have heard this for
themselves, they could also have heard many other inspiring,
respected, prominent educators from around the world speak about
public education reform and the successes they have achieved.

They could have asked questions and demanded clarification. They
could even have stood up and stated their side of this issue
(something denied to those of us with opposing views who attended
the BCTF's public education conference in March)

They could have educated themselves about the other side of this
issue.

Instead they choose to boycott and remain in ignorance.(They must
be married to their rhetoric)

And these are the people charged with the responsibility of
educating our youth.....scary isn't it?

If anyone would like more information, please contact me.

Katherine
(katherine.wagner@hortus.bc.ca)