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Page 4 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville. October 29. 1997 ®)e Canabtan Statesman Former Publishers and Partners Rev. John M. Climie and W. R. Climie 1854 -1878 M. A. James, 1878 -1935 • Norman S. B. James, 1919 -1929 G. Elena James, 1929 -1947 • Dr. George W. James, 1919 -1957 ' Produced weekly by James Publishing Company Limited P.O. Box 190, 62 King St. W., Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 Tel: 905-623-3303 HOURS: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Fax: 905-623-6161 Internet - statesman@ocna.org Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 No Winners Here If this were a schoolyard fight, both sides in the education education reform controversy would get a trip to the principal's principal's office. Sometimes it seems as though both sides seem to have forgotten who they arc working for. The last time we checked, the teachers and the politicians both worked for the taxpayers. We arc the folks who pour upwards of half our salaries each year into taxes for various government government services, including public education. Ontario's teachers do not work for an educational system system that is beyond the reach of any democratically-elected democratically-elected government. On the other hand, the politicians who make up the government of this province seem to have the mistaken impression that they work only for the ideology of their government, with its emphasis on cutbacks and tax breaks. Something is missing here. It wouldn't be so bad if the two sides merely held their ideologies and worked out their differences through negotiations, public hearings and all the other methods which form the democratic process. The problem is that both have decided to get into a game of chicken which could dangerously split Ontario. Certainly, there will be no winners -- especially not the parents, students and ratepayers. And it didn't have to happen. First of all, there are the provincial Tories who decided decided to reform the education system in ways that were never really discussed during the election that placed them in Queen's Park. The provincial government wants to introduce the kind of education reforms that would make Ontario's educational system unrecognizable from the one we have today. One of the symbols of the planned reform is the claim that a person such as hockey legend Wayne Gretzky should be allowed to teach a specialized subject such as physical education even if he doesn't hold a valid teaching certificate. That's assuming, of course, that Mr. Gretzky wanted the job. If the Ontario government wants uncertified people to serve as classroom teachers, then it should campaign on that kind of a platform and let the voters decide if it's a good idea. It shouldn't just campaign on motherhood statements about improving education and then announce billions of dollars in spending cuts. In short, they shouldn't be introducing reforms so drastic that they send teachers into an illegal walk-out. The teachers, for their part, will have to understand that if it is truly the will of the public to allow Wayne Gretzky, John Snobelen and even Donald Duck to be hired to teach specialized subjects,, then they'll have to give them a seat in the staffroom. That doesn't mean they can't protest, launch petitions, and try to overturn the legislation. But, they can't just tell an elected government government that they cannot govern. The problem with the impasse that now grips Ontario is the fact that the provincial government really has no mandate to introduce the kind of reforms it is attempting in Bill 160. Our educational system has been forged over the past 40 years and the changes Mr. Harris is supporting supporting cannot undo that work in a few weeks. Ontario's Tories, if they really believe in their plan to cut education spending, allow non-teachers in the classrooms, classrooms, and take complete centralized control over the educational system, should have the guts to campaign for these goals in the next election. And they should spell out their plans clearly. In the meantime, they might try to make more moderate moderate changes in the system. And that means continuing their talks with everybody involved. What should teachers do if the provincial government wants to go ahead and introduce Bill 160 without calling an election? It's a tough choice. But, illegal protests truly lead us down a slippery slope. The fact is that the provincial laws are not etched in stone. Moreover, by the time Bill 160's provisions are acted upon, it would be close to the next provincial election election anyhow. Look how long it has taken the provincial government to put into place policies such as work for welfare or boot camps for young offenders. If Bill 160 were all that far removed from the wishes of the public, it could be wiped out like the letters on yesterday's blackboard. It could be overturned almost as fast as Bob Rae's photo radar. In short, the protest we are now seeing just didn't have to happen. About the only good that can come out of it is an increased concern over the direction education is taking in Ontario, increased debate and a better understanding of the issues. Perhaps that, at least, has been accomplished. Letter to the Editor Regional Pay Increase Means "Downloading" Taxes Onto Local Ratepayers Dear Editor: I see now that the members of the Regional Council are about to receive an increase in their stipend to compensate lor the losses received when their one third tax free allowance was eliminated. It was my understanding that when the Conservatives down at Queen's Park cut out the tax allowance granted to all levels of politicians, that the focus was to be on everyone paying their fair share of taxes on monies received without exception. What, then, does this serve when those affected . by that policy turn around and get an increase to make up for having to pay taxes on wages or pensions like the rest of ns? 1 can't for the life of me, think of, or name any other people people or group, who seek and gel an increase in their income in order to compensate for the amount of taxes paid. 1 was always of the opinion that to serve my peers was much more important than how much I could squeeze out of my peers' pocket. 1 don't think the actions of the regional government members were contemplated when Mike Harris and company company stripped them of a cozy one third lax free allowance. If that were indeed the case, what will Mike Harris do about this extra downloading on the backs of the municipal taxpayer? taxpayer? Will our local MPP bring this to his attention? Sincerely, Gord Mills For 143 Years, Our First Concern Has Been Our Community Assoc. Publisher - Rick James Editor - Peter Parrott Publisher - John M. James Plant Manager - Rick Patterson Ad. Manager - Brian G. Purdy Production Supervisor - Ralph Rozema, Suzanne Bennett, Tim Bowers, Kevin Britton, Sharon Cole, Laurens Kaldeway, Barb Patterson, Tyler Sellick, Jim Snoek, James Stephenson, Vance Sutherland, Jim Tuuramo Advertising , Editorial Lavcrne Morrison, Wanda Partrick Brad Kelly, Lorraine Manfredo, Laura J. Richards Office Supervisor - Angela Luscher, Junia Hodge, Grace McGregor, Nancy Pleasance-Sturman, Marilyn Rutherford, Libby Smithson A Day in the Life Of an Ontario School To the Editor: For the past two years the teachers and students of Ontario have been under attack. Statistics used by the government responsible for this demoralizing barrage are puzzling to those in the classrooms classrooms of the province, who know the actual conditions under which they teach and learn. We believe that your readers will be interested in some facts: a real day in the life of a real school. We are the staff of a senior public school, serving students students in grades seven and eight. All of our students are bussed to school and we are responsible for them from the time they begin arriving, about 8:15, to the time the last group leaves, about 3:30 - a period of more than seven hours. During the time the students are never unsupervised. unsupervised. The instructional day at our school is five hours and twenty minutes. In addition to the time spent actually teaching, teaching, every teacher does forty minutes of duty every day, which means that they arc with the students six hours a day. Teachers have a lunch break of forty minutes, but no other breaks during the day, ■ since our ^school: does mot have morning or afternoon recess. Many students stay on Monday or Wednesday until 5:00 p.m. for extra help in "Homework Club". According to our collective collective agreement, teachers are entitled to 28 minutes of preparation time per day. Some of this is given on school days; some professional professional activity days are counted counted as preparation time. In addition to teaching, our staff members run intramural intramural games every noon hour, keep the library open at lunchtime and run clubs at various times over the course of the year, as well as provide a school band and choir. Our students have the opportunity to try out for school teams; harrier, soccer, volleyball, basketball, track and field and badminton, practices for which are held after school or in the early morning. We train two Think Bowl teams annually. annually. Each year our drama group presents a production for students, parents, the community and junior schools in the area. Staff and parents plan and conduct two trips annually which require that teachers spend three nights and four days away from their families, essentially essentially on 24 hour duty. Teachers and students run a school store where students can supplement supplement their lunches. A hot lunch is brought in once a week which students can buy in lieu of making a lunch that day. All of these events and programs are planned and supervised by teachers and are extra, voluntary tasks, beyond their assigned duties. All of the information above speaks only to time spent with students. Every teacher also spends countless hours in evenings and on weekends, planning lessons, marking work and reporting to parents. Every teacher on our staff has extra qualifications, qualifications, often in several curriculum curriculum areas, earned by taking summer and evening courses. Every teacher on our staff belongs to at least one school committee which meets after school to plan curriculum, review school policy, ahd evaluate students who arc'at risk academically, socially or emotionally. Several teachers also serve on Board Committees. Every teacher spends hours every month after school communicating with parents. Our class sizes range from 31 to 36, including integrated special needs students. Most teachers instruct more than one hundred students every day and are responsible for tracking their work. We believe that these facts speak for themselves. Until recently, we have fulfilled all of these responsibilities gladly gladly and have enjoyed our work very much. We are proud of our school and our students. We believe that we are representative representative of schools across the province. Now, however, we appear to be governed by a group at Queen's Park Continued on page 5 Veterans Know Meaning Unselfish Service Dear Editor: Not so very long ago, when the country was younger, a different attitude attitude was dominant in Canadian society. People, in general, were more interested in giving than receiving. Family, friends and neighbours were more important than "the Joneses".-We knew right from wrong. Twice, in the span of 25 years, our young people people were called to serve - to give something back for the good life we had enjoyed and to the country, country, which it came from. Some enlisted out of boredom; boredom; others from a sense of adventure; but most,' I think, from the genuine sense of duly to the same family, friends and neighbours neighbours who made up this wonderful country of ours. These were days, after all, when "we" was more important than "I". ■ Many who went would die or suffer grievous wounds. Living conditions, conditions, bad food and fear would accompany all in their devotion to serve. A very large portion would return to us, but all would be changée! somehow. , I . When/ you watch', j]jb .'vétérans marc'hj ,,.,'..$11 Remembrance Day, 1 look at the faces of those wiio were willing to do without so we could have. They may smile or concentrate but there is something behind the eyes. Perhaps they sense that it is our generation and the'eountry today that has been found wanting! "I" has certainly replaced "we" and selfishness selfishness has taken over from serving others. Please attend the parade November lltli. It might be the beginning of a realization that we should be more like those who marched into uncertainty uncertainty many years ago and ' who now march before us with heads held high. Paul Higgins Bowmanville r Thoughts Unlimited by Rick James The Sky Was Falling If you are a faithful reader of this column, column, you will recall that three weeks ago I said stock markets would plunge on Tuesday, October 28th. Well, Chicken Little was close and missed it by one day. At least, I think I did. As of noon on Tuesday when this is being written, the markets seemed to have stabilized and recovered a small portion of the record one- day loss of Monday. What has happened though is quite interesting. interesting. I've had a number of people ask me how I knew it was going to happen, and what they should do now to protect their investments. I could say that I've spent years researching researching previous economic trends and felt that a market crash was inevitable. Alter all, those who do not study history are doomed to relive it. I could say that but, that's not what happened. I could also say that the time and money I've spent reading that boring Globe and Mail each morning has finally paid olf by predicting the largest sell-off in history within one day. But, if the truth be known, I guessed and got very lucky. It was obvious a correction was overdue since the Dow Jones has stuck its nose over the 8,000 mark consistently. It was just a matter of when it would happen. Of the ten largest corrections since 1980, seven of them have occurred in October, It made sense for a correction this October since the market is now full of novice investors who thought they would dabble in the stock market. The economy is booming booming and many people had spare cash to buy shares of their favourite company. They've V. been able to make some good returns in a strong bull market, but now they need to sell their shares before the end of December for tax reasons and to retrieve some cash to buy Christmas presents. So, it was time to pick a date and originally originally I had picked Monday, October 27th. But, I changed it to Tuesday since the big crash of 1987 occurred on a Monday. I changed it to Tuesday, but kept staring back at Monday on the calendar. I finally used eenic-mecnie-minie-moe to break the dead lock. Pretty scientific, eh? That strategy is similar to my dart-throwing technique that beat the professional stock broker. So, Chicken Little the Stock Market Guru, what's next? I think the events of Monday, October 28 will go away quietly and the Dow Jones will continue to climb over 8,000 until early February of 1998. And if you want to get really daring, I have a gut feeling that two stocks to buy arc Boeing and Bombardier. But, whether you're getting advice from me or a professional slock broker, keep in mind that if cither one of us were any good at this, we wouldn't have to do it for very long. What About the Teachers' Strike? It's no secret how I feel about the wages and benefits enjoyed by teachers in Ontario. Compared to the private sector and most parts of the public sector, remuneration remuneration for hours worked is far higher in the teaching profession than anywhere else, But, that's not what I'm going to talk about here. I more concerned about the attitude attitude of the teachers' unions that sec themselves themselves as being above the law by holding an illegal strike during discussions with the government over Bill 160. The government was elected on a platform platform to make changes to the education system system to make it more efficient. Surveys taken during the last few weeks have shown the majority of Ontarians still want to see those changes take place. During the 1 next election, if Ontario voters arc not pleased with the government's direction, they have the opportunity to toss them from office. Remember Bob Rae?. In the meantime, if teachers and their unions want to be constructive, they need to meet with the Minister of Education and" offer their perspectives on what negative effects Bill 160 will create. They need to supply proof and prepare a convincing argument that Bill 160 is a bad thing, y So far, I haven't seen that. All I've seen is a fear that teachers might have to work harder and suffer the same cuts that affected affected doctors, nurses, police officers, and firefighters. firefighters. The private sector has. taken it oh the chin just as hard as workers arc termb nated and other employees arc expected to pick up the slack for the same wage. Not unlike the government's reason for making changes to the education system, shareholders shareholders arc demanding belter returns on. their investment dollars. Taxpayers should expect the same out of the education system. The quality of education education has slipped badly despite funding doubling doubling in ten years. As role models, teachers arc expected to set example for all students. By staging an illegal strike, all they arc doing is promoting promoting civil disobedience. They should be ashamed of themselves. J