A vice principal and math intervention specialist in the Quad Counties says an upcoming strike vote is needed because they want more discussion with provincial government officials about “Raise the Bar.”
Sue Larivière-Jenkins from École acadienne de Pomquet, says there are a variety of issues with what provincial officials accepted in the report with recommendations for the education system by Dr. Avis Glaze.
One of the recommendations is to remove principals and vice principals from the Nova Scotia Teachers Union.
Larivière-Jenkins tells The Hawk she’d return to the classroom if that’s the case.
“For me, personally, I like to work with the teachers- we work together,” she says. “Maybe it continues that way for the next couple of years, but it will eventually change and erode over time- we’ve seen proof in Ontario and BC, (where) there are more grievances, there are more issues that crop up.”
Larivière-Jenkins says provincial officials need to sit at the table and talk to teachers, specialists and administrators in schools.
Robert Lelievre, the president of the NSTU- Inverness Local, says they want to find out what mandate they get- if members are willing to go out on some form of work stoppage, such as a complete walkout or an end of extra-curricular activities.
Lelievre says there’s concern about what would happen if principals and vice principals do step down from their positions if they’re removed from the union.
“Who do we fill them up with? Business managers? People that don’t know what’s happening in our schools, what’s happening in our classrooms?” he says. “It’s just not fair to us in the classrooms, it’s not fair to our students- as a principal, they build relationships with students and teachers.”
The strike vote is scheduled for Tuesday.