Dear Editor,
I went to read a letter to the editor and was appalled at your poll about who should be fired [Who should be fired over the B.C. teachers strike? Sept. 9-11 Advance Poll, Langley Advance].
That poll is an absolute insult to the 37,000-plus teachers who are on strike for public education, and to the CUPE staff who are supporting us.
This government’s agenda is to privatize education (see New Zealand, U.S., and England, for example). They have never had any intention of settling this dispute through negotiation. If so, this would have been resolved a long time ago, before Phase 1, Phase 2, or even Phase 3.
Teachers are taking a stand because we can no longer support a system that is underfunded by a government that is willing to support its corporate supporters.
Students of all abilities are unable to get the support they need. This includes special needs, LST, ELL, gifted students, and the average student.
Students wait years for psycho-educational testing. Some may never get the required assessment, due to the caseload.
Students in need of counsellors need to take a number and hope the counsellor has time in the given year to meet with them.
It’s time the media open their eyes to see the true agenda of this government and report the facts and leave the polling to professionals who first understand the importance of framing a question and second list the choices in alphabetical order.
I hope you apologize to your readers. Many of them live in your community and are suffering severe financial hardship.
Glenys McFarlane, Surrey