DEAR EDITOR:
Parents want their children to have a positive, successful experience in school. Teachers want their students to be excited about learning and flourish in school and, by extension, in life. In short, both want the best for children.
The Liberal government's contribution to education is to pit these two groups of like-minded citizens against each other.
Divide and conquer. This is how the Liberal government has always operated. They create enemies where previously there were none. Starting wars in cities that were otherwise wonderful communities. They use the citizens of British Columbia as expendable pawns in their version of governing.
The teachers' contract was up in June of 2011. So why wait till almost a full school year has gone by to look for a solution? This could have been settled in September.
Of course in September the government didn't have the "fed-up parents" bargaining chip; the "Do whatever it takes to get our kids back in school" mandate.
The Liberal government has allowed the situation to deteriorate in the calculated hopes that they will then be able to set any and all parameters to end the negotiations. They do this without regard for the relationships they permanently destroy in the process.
With either benefit or loss to public school system, the dispute will be resolved soon, but the damage has been done. Citizens on all sides: the parents, teachers and students (of which I am none) will be hurt, angry, degraded or confused.
Adults who participated in events side-by-side before may simply tolerate each other now. All because the Liberal government sat by intentionally and did nothing for months.
Patricia Barry, New Westminster
