Instead of returning back to school and reconnecting with friends they haven’t seen since June, New Westminster students were hitting the books at home or enjoying an extended summer vacation.
Talks between the B.C. Teachers’ Federation and the Public School Employers’ Association broke down on the Labour Day long weekend, with veteran mediator Vince Ready walking away from the talks saying the two sides were at an impasse.
“I remain optimistic. I am cautiously optimistic is the way I should frame it,” New Westminster schools superintendent John Gaiptman told The Record. “I like the idea that we have brought in the mediator. I was disappointed that a solution could not be found, but I think it’s time that both sides redoubled their efforts and worked hard for a solution.”
While college and university students, as well as those attending independent schools, returned to school on Tuesday morning, there was no school for the 500,000-plus public school students in British Columbia.
“We did not have parents dropping their children off at school,” Gaiptman said. “I think between the website, the emails that have gone home and the fact the media has been focusing very strongly on what’s happening with the bargaining and the resulting strike, I do believe that parents did receive the message and they have been adhering to it and understanding there is no opportunity for instruction without teachers or support staff.”
One local parent planned to get her child to work through a workbook with different subjects and take a walk. Another mom recruited her child to help put away camping gear and contemplated booking a flight to visit her mother so they could work on their spoken French.
News of the breakdown in negotiations left many parents and students wondering what an extended dispute means for the school year, with some questioning whether that could mean an extended school year or longer school days.
“That would be a decision from the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Education has not said anything regarding any changes to the school calendar,” Gaiptman said.
According to Gaiptman, the School Act is quite specific about the number of minutes of instruction.
“With a strike happening, we would not be adhering to that but exceptions are often made when there are things like a strike or snow days or things like that that prevent students from attending school,” he said. “It’s too early to tell.”
Because the school year was cut short by the labour dispute, some of the planning that takes place for the upcoming school year – such as discussions about student placement in classes – was impacted.
Gaiptman suspects there will be “protocol discussions” at the bargaining table that will address the issue of when schools will be ready to accept students and reopen, once an agreement is reached.
“This is something that will be discussed through a protocol agreement or will be dictated by the Ministry of Education,” he said. “We are waiting to find out. The first matter of business is getting that settlement and having resolution to this impasse.”
Like parents across the province, Gaiptman is awaiting news about the next step of the labour dispute.
“At this moment we don’t know when they will be meeting again,” he told The Record Tuesday morning. “I was inquiring about whether we have a date as to when both sides will be meeting.”
