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8- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, November 11, 1997 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" Local teachers' reaction to strike's By Chris Hall Port Perry Star The familiar sight of yellow buses and the sounds of school bells were present once again in Scugog yester- day, as teachers returned to their classrooms. Ending a two-week strike over pro- posed provincial legislation, Ontario's 126,000 teachers put down their pick- et signs and picked up their books after their union leaders urged them to return. While the decision to return to the classroom may indicate that the unions are softening their stance toward the government, Port Perry High School union chief Dave Robinson insists that's not the case. "We are not stepping down to the government. We have gone as far as we can go with the strike, and we are moving on to other means of demon- stration," he said Monday. "How can you call raising the awareness of the Ontario people against the dictatorial powers of the Mike Harris government a defeat?" Secondary school teachers here gathered in front of the school, then walked through the doors of their schools together to show the public their unity. Protest to continue The teacher's movement against Bill 160 will change direction and go in different ways, said Mr. Robinson. "It was not an easy decision to send the teachers back to school, but we now have to look at other ways of stopping the government," he said. "We are going to act immediately on numerous political and legal actions as well as a whole series of public awareness campaigns. We will fight Bill 160 until it is withdrawn, defeated or appealed." Demonstrations by individual schools, regions and and the entire province could be held periodically to let the public know that teachers are still fighting the bill, said Mr. Robinson, who added that while teach- ers here had varied feelings about returning to work, they were ready to get back to classes yesterday. More than 80 PPHS teachers held a two-hour meeting.on Friday during which they discussed their situation and held a vote to see where they stood on the situation. While he wouldn't reveal which way local secondary school teachers leaned -- continuing to strike or returning to the classroom -- Mr.Robinson said they would go along with the rest of the provinces high school teachers. Teachers glad to be back Meanwhile, elementary teachers at R.H. Cornish in Port Perry were happy as they prepared to pick up where they left off on Oct. 27. "It's wonderful to be back; it's the best thing that could have happened to us. The personal stress throughout this was phenomenal," said Cliff Moon, a 27-year teaching veteran at the Queen St. public school. While there was some anger por- trayed among local teachers who felt their unions were abandoning the strike too early, Mr. Moon said they'll go along with their colleagues across the province. "Personally, the union asked me to go out on strike, I went out on strike. They asked me to go back to work, ~ Guest Soloists ~ Leslie Ann Bradley Rory Taillon ~ 1997 ~ Dec. 4 ~ 8:00 pm Dec. 5 ~ 8:00 pm Dec. 6 ~ 2:00 pm Dec. 6 ~ 8:00 pm Musical Director: BEVERLY FOSTER TOWHN MARR 1879 -Queen & Simcoe St., Port Perry ~ Reserved Seating ~ $12.00 ~ Producer: JILL BRADLEY Tickets available at Henshall's, 281 Queen Street, Port Perry, 985-1965 ATEN WV DOSES INLET 1285 ne . AMES REDFIELD CELESTINE VISION L{A8" Hoar dc OCF | end mixed | CHRIS HALL/PORT PERRY STAR Kids eagerly hop off the bus Monday morning upon their arrival at Port Perry's R.H. Cornish Public School. It was their first day back in class following the two-week strike by teachers which began Oct. 27. Meanwhile, teachers say they'll continue with their opposition to Bill 160, the government legislation that triggered the province-wide strike. I'm back at work. That's my comment," he replied yesterday morning, adding that there should be no problems for elementary students to catch up. R.H. Cornish*will be holding a pub- lic forum on Nov. 19 between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. to discuss Bill 160 and further actions. Teachers are opposed to the legis- lation, which would allow the province to determine class sizes, set teachers' Celestine Vision Living The New Spiritual Awareness [ Guest soloists are sponsored by Brocks Dept. Store, Ocala Orchards & Brocks for Kids ] BOOKS GALORE & MORE 175 PERRY ST., PORT PERRY 985-8645 7 3 Days Only - November 14-16 Sait preparation time, and allow non-cer- tified instructors in classrooms. Teachers throughout the region have taken to wearing green ribbons to show their opposition to Bill 160 and the government. Over 2.1 million students across the province of Ontario were out of school for two weeks when close to 126,000 teachers walked off the job on Oct. 27 to protest Bill 160. Pre~Christmas SALE = our Fall & 7 Winter off Collection 89 Queen Street, Downtown Port Perry (905) 9850143 " SQUARE BIGFOOT® [fi 1) : PLUS DEAL JUNIOR COMBO | 2 : : : . Bi izza with 1 | 12 pc. medium square i ® [i 200. Bigfoot pizza with |B | pharma square PIZZA & SUBS [gas BT | ngs 1/2b. weds ; RSE NY CIB. 0 : - ® 80 Water St., 085 8 er i B *Free Port Perry - 448 i Delive RE RS in oy : Vis A ; Find us fast i PLUS p PLUS oo ibe in the ctor + Atag ied iil wm _ Yellow Pages™ | Rd Coupon expires Dec 31/97 | as Doe SL Tel. Coupon expires Dec 31/07 :