Dear Editor:
I immigrated to British Columbia in 2005 from the United States. I have been moved at the professionalism and the hard, dedicated work of teaching professionals here. B.C., one of the top school districts in the world behind Japan and Finland; students who outperformed every other North American student on Advanced Placement (AP) exams last year, so what gives? Why does this government need to overhaul and recreate a wonderful and productive education system?
I worked in two school districts in U.S., in Maine and in Orlando Metro, Florida. In many ways, some of the suggested ideas of the province, such as "one evaluation" to determine suitability, among others, to be legislated are in fact in place and living today in those and other U.S. school districts.
I worked in these districts in a culture of draconian fear every moment, afraid I would lose everything at the whim of a parent or an administrator who might not have liked me. Go to school like that every day. Evaluations were used to get rid of those teachers who questioned, or stood up. In reality, many were discharged not because they were not top-notch professionals, but because they spoke up, or perhaps thought differently than their bosses or parents.
I have seen teachers dismissed as they were "not the right fit," others because the admin people got anxious from parent complaints or the teacher was too firm and exhibited discipline.
I was not one of those teachers, I kept my mouth shut. I was bullied and threatened. So were others. And it was legal.
Believe me, you do not want this.
I have felt so secure and respected here. Our administrators and trustees work collaboratively with teachers every day in respectful and helpful ways.
Not so from where I came. In the U.S. I was afraid. Many of the ideas now before us and promoted by the Education Ministry could promote bully behaviour by bosses.
And the Education Ministry?
They need to leave the education business to the professionals that work in the classrooms of B.C. every day, not from an office in Victoria, many of whom have most likely not even taken an education course, nor taught in the classroom, yet that office is ready to tell those who do how it should be done.
Politics?
Ron Allanach, New Westminster
