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Co "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" 8- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, September 22, 1998 LETTERS To the Editor: Having just read the letter from H Parsons regarding the so called list of unfair practices of the provincial government, | for one wonder how any teacher could work under such terrible stress. Give me a break. The teachers in Ontario work the least number of hours in the whole of Canada. This 1s a proven fact; the stats were printed in one paper I read yes- terday. The government puts out these infomercials, the writer says, to squander our hard earned tax dollars, What is the teachers' union doing? They also tell the kids they should support these same teachers in their demands, so they can work less and take more money, also tax dollars, for themselves. Teachers are very well paid Teachers should stop crying, get to work for the job they do, and look at all the time they get oft. The only other people who get that amount of time off, are those in parliament. The writer goes on to say that the text books are very expensive. You can go into Cole's book stores and buy one of the best dictionaries for deal. of text books the different school boards buy, I wonder why they don't get a better Maybe I should apply for the job; I definitely could get a bet- ter deal than they do. Better still, why don't all you teachers stop crying and start doing the job you wanted all the time you were in school, that is, to be a teacher. around $10. With the number Case closed. 'Thanks a lot! On behalf of the Canadian Diabetes Association, thank you for your support of our [naugural Golf Tournament. The proceeds from this tournament will go to assist our ongoing need for services in our area. Next year we antici- pate that we will be holding another. Jim Rushford, chairman Frank Harris Nestleton PORT PERRY STAR CROSSWORD FE DP -- fF FREE MOBILE SERVICE FOR REPLACEMENT AUTOMOTIVE GLASS 985-8507 | 1575 Hwy. 7A * Port Perry 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 [11 |12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 |23 24 25 26 [27 |28 29 30 |31 |32 33 34 85 36 37 25 39 40 Ml 42 43 [44 45 46 47 48 [49 |50 51 52 153 [54 55 56 |57 58 / 59 60 61 62 63 64 ACROSS 47. Frat beer-drinking 18. Telling falsehoods " : yell 23. Seedcase 1. Partner of ebb 48. My Friend 24. Pitch y Pieri (1943 film) 25. Attend . Hu Son W--_-- ~ 51. Invert 26. Tailor's tatter (movie flop of 1990) 52 Alley of the comics 27. Extant 13. Crease 55. Wager 28. Surfer's "bye" 14. Less convincing, as 56. Philanthropic 29. Lash marks an oxcuse 59. Actor Jannings 30. Rarin'to go 16. es. lad, __ easy' go. Supped 31. Ambulance topper (Housman) 61. Kelly's possum 32. Adventurous 17. paste 62. Nykobing native journeys 19. Soak t rough 63. Conceal 34. Grain husks 20. Goodness! 64. Legume 37. Wrinkled-nose 21. Story expression 22. Away Nice! DOWN 38. Designer Cassini 24. lice 41. Loop the loop, e.g. 25. Pivot 1. Banner 43. Football or fishing 26. Smart-sets 2. Aphids, e.g. term gatherings 3. __. upon a ume 44. Covenant's container 29. Most peculiar 4. Diminutive 45. Atrophy 33. Slam the slammer 5. Gathers laboriously 37. Remedies gate 6. King of talk shows 48. Actor Gwynne 34. Lyricist Kalmar 7." Ordinary Man" 4g. City founded by 35. Make public (My Fair Lady) Pizarro 36. Observance 8. Play the horses 50. "The doctor " 37. Certain train 9. Expressed 51. So long, in Soho 38. Dreadful person disapproval 52. Woodwind 39. Hail! 10. Hard ' 53. One of "The Three 40. Chest rattle (helmsman's cry) Sisters" 41. Glossy 11. Richard Strauss's 54. Day laborer oy pelates » enna 57. Scene-stealing actor ; . 58. Pol | o_o 15. Actualiy olice notice: abbr Port Perry Star Crossword Sponsored By a lf ORT PERRY uto glass & trim nd. - | | | | | | | } | l I l I ! I | I | I | I l = BROKEN WINDSHIELD? Save up to $100 on your deductible! With most RENE: LC ul ERIGER Serving Port Perry, Uxbridge and surrounding areas since 1981 Why's the board holding up an agreement? To the Editor: This is an open appeal to the public to get you to try and explain why I find myself, like all other secondary teachers in Durham, on the streets again for the second time in a year. We are as confused and as angry as you. Hearing nothing from my employer, I turn to you for enlightenment. On Aug. 31, 1998 Bill 160 declared all teacher con- tracts null and void in the province of Ontario. In spite of decades of negotiating our relationship with our employer that caused virtually no labor disruptions in this region, the government saw fit to provide an opportunity and an excuse for employers to unilaterally gut our contract. To our dismay the Durham District Board has fabri- cated an excuse, and seized the opportunity to single- handedly roll back our working conditions and jeopar- dize the quality of learning for all students in this district. Why have they done so? Why have they made no effort to convey their reasoning to their employees, or the public at large? Why are the kids not in school? The provincial funding formula that governs all edu- cation budgets in Ontario was revealed late last spring. The Durham District Board, unlike almost every other board in the province that did not amalgamate, received an additional allocation of some $14 million. Years of funding local education programs, and local working conditions below the provincial average paid off in the form of this dividend being granted to the Durham District Board. Even the chair mused about the possi- bility of a raise for teachers, seeing as there have been no raises from the board since 1992. Instead of improving upon the status quo, however, the board elected to impose an additional 17 per cent workload on their secondary teachers last June with no consultation or negotiation. Why have they done this? To maintain the status quo the board would have to replace the 112 teachers that retired this past June. To do so would require hiring new teachers, with all the energy and enthusiasm they bring to the job, at about half the cost of the people who retired, a real savings of about 50 per cent of this portion of our staffing. The board has also imposed an additional reduction to the system's costs by about 30 teachers by eliminating all administrative time allocated to department heads to run their programs, a move made without consulta- tion or negotiation. The bottom line 1s, the status quo represents real savings in the secondary teacher payroll costs to the board, regardless of the new found funding windfall. Why won't they settle? For those of you who see public education as nothing but a tax burden and think there will be some tax rebate to be gained from the board's frugality, remember: they do not set local education mill rates any more and cannot pass any savings on to your property taxes. Those of you who buy the government's line that more text books, standardized report cards and new curricu- lum are all that is required to improve schools must also believe that fresh linen, a bed and a bill that is readable is all that a hotel must provide to please their clients. For those of you who are disciples of downsizing remember: we are not talking about squeezing an extra 17 per cent production out of an assembly line worker to crank out more car parts. We are talking about reducing the amount of time teachers have to spend with the adolescents of this community. Would you rush to see a doctor who has been arbi- trarily ordered to see 17 per cent more patients per day? Would you go to a hospital full of doctors working under these conditions? Why would you send the kids of this community to a school full of teachers that have been commanded to do the same? Why is this strike necessary? I know why I am out, but I have yet to hear a reason, yet alone a compelling one, for the board provoking this job action. The reign of silence that prevails at the palatial board headquar- ters speaks volumes about the conviction of their posi- tion. Walking the picket line and publishing letters of this nature are public acts that incur the sympathy of some, the rage of others, the attention of many. Like all my colleagues, I did not enter into this trade expecting, seeking or wanting this kind of attention. Why won't the officials of this board speak out, stand by the convictions of their arguments, and let the public know why they will not settle? Brian Robert, Cannington E-mail us at port.perry.star @ sympatico.ca WINDOWS & PATIO DOORS a Energy efficient windows reduce draft & increase warmth. Alcan vinyl & aluminum windows. A STII Rnd Gold Club Authorized Renovator 0 by] rs. A.W.D. A.C. TT we we wma A aw Allen's Siding * Free Estimates Product Ss « Seniors Discount d » Financing Available [V0 = e163) Lt ° Sales and Installation of Doors * Windows * Troughs * Additions * Solariums Reach Industrial Park - Reg. 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