Editor, The News:
Re: Where does school board stand? (Letters, July 23).
I have to agree with George Serra on the importance of getting out to vote on Nov. 15 and replace some ineffective trustees.
Maybe not the ones out-voted on issues, but that’s up to the public to cast their ballots.
I have teachers who I consider friends and many of them think they need to get back to work and have a more realistic approach to bargaining. Yet they vote with the majority.
I strongly disagree with some BCTF and MRTA tactics. The spin, ‘It’s all about the kids,’ is offensive, to say the least.
George Serra says, “My responsibility is to the teachers of Maple Ridge who elect me.”
It’s clearly not the kids, not the support staff, who have all been affected by ineffective strike tactics.
The harassment of students and support staff is unacceptable. Attempting to block students from writing provincials, verbal abuse toward EAs, clerical, custodial, and maintenance staff, while honouring your picket line unless deemed an essential service.
Soon after the school year, pickets started to wane, willy-nilly lines set up for an hour or two to disrupt support staff, from what I see.
The real kicker is when I see your members crossing their own picket line, for coolers, to photocopy, get belongings.
Seems the MRTA cant control their own.
If you’re going to picket, then picket. Get your members back from their holidays and shut the whole damn thing down. I would be embarrassed by the tactics and behaviours of some of your members and your leadership.
Dan Bertrand
SD42 HVAC department