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{"id":3385,"date":"2014-09-09T07:00:23","date_gmt":"2014-09-09T14:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.squishyprints.com\/?p=3385"},"modified":"2014-09-09T07:00:23","modified_gmt":"2014-09-09T14:00:23","slug":"life-in-black-white-september","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.allysonell.com\/life-in-black-white-september\/","title":{"rendered":"Life in Black & White | September"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to another glimpse of my life in black and white. \u00a0After reading my post, please\u00a0continue on in the blog circle to see a glimpse of Melissa’s life in black & white<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It’s September… and it should be the second week of school for my son. \u00a0Usually by now he is settled into his classroom, pencils sharpened and notebooks tucked into his desk. \u00a0He would be telling me about who he gets to sit with, who is and isn’t in his class this year, and what his first impressions are of his new teacher. \u00a0But this year is different.<\/p>\n

Here he is waiting for his little brother to finish breakfast so we can leave the house. \u00a0But he’s also waiting to start fourth grade.<\/p>\n

$\"sept\"$ <\/p>\n

This year has started the way the school year ended in June… no kids in the classroom and no teachers doing their jobs. \u00a0Instead they are walking the picketlines outside of empty schools, trying to fight so my son can have an education he deserves.<\/p>\n

The BC Government is slowing tearing away at the foundations of public education. \u00a0Students in BC get $1000 each \u00a0less funding than other provinces. \u00a0Teachers are spending money out of pocket to create resources, learning materials and educational supports. \u00a0Children with special needs are losing access to much needed supports. \u00a0The government insists\u00a0there is no money to meet the demands teachers are placing on them for (well deserved) wage increases, and class size and composition. \u00a0While I understand budgeting, the government is also being unrealistic with it’s expectations of these hard working individuals. \u00a0Class size restrictions and composition supports were stripped out of the contracts with teachers a few years ago. \u00a0These need to be returned. \u00a0Two courts have ruled that the government needs to bring this back. \u00a0And yet, the fighting continues. \u00a0Caught in the middle are the kids. \u00a0Kids like my son, who is a well behaved student, who does his work and doesn’t need much help. \u00a0The silent ones who don’t have behavioural issues or extra needs that demand more time. \u00a0Classrooms have gotten so crowded and teachers are dealing with so many challenging students, they don’t have much time to spend with someone like my son. \u00a0They don’t have help to deal with those that need extra attention. \u00a0Their time is spread thin. \u00a0My child deserves better than this. \u00a0Yet we can’t afford to place him in private school. \u00a0We can’t afford to have me stay home and homeschool him. \u00a0Why should we have to do that? \u00a0My husband and I were educated through the public school system. \u00a0My children have a right to that same education.<\/p>\n

Wage issues aside, these two opposing sides need to get it together. They need to negotiate, mediate, arbitrate… whatever it takes to get the kids in the classrooms – with the supports they need; with teachers who feel valued and supported; with the education they all deserve.<\/p>\n

I am frustrated, tired, angry… and most of all sad for my son, and the thousands of other students out there waiting… just waiting…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"