Return to the left? German Pirate Party? Occupy? Canada NDP? I just don’t see it yet. The willingness of people to accept autocratic corporate sponsored control of the economy and social contract leads me to think less capitalistic rule global wide is a decade away at least-
http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/13/zakaria-the-return-of-the-left/
British Columbia – The Globe and Mail via British Columbia – The Globe and Mail.
From routinely taking potshots at Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his party while a Liberal-friendly radio host, Ms. Clark has turned to the Conservative Leader and his acolytes in a painfully obvious attempt to reverse her dreary political fortunes.
Not since David Emerson crossed the floor in 2006 to sit in Mr. Harper’s cabinet have federal Liberals in B.C. been so mystified, and angry, with a politician’s philosophical change of heart.
Today, instead of deriding the views of Christian fundamentalists and hard-line conservatives such as Preston Manning, Ms. Clark seeks their blessings. Only last week, she was in Ottawa to attend Mr. Manning’s annual conference of conservative politicians and strategists – an event at which the B.C. Premier wouldn’t have been caught dead not that long ago. Instead, she left with an enthusiastic endorsement from Mr. Manning, who even compared Ms. Clark to former British PM Margaret Thatcher.
These days that’s pure gold for the Premier….(Globe,)
A civil healthy society requires a populace to not just have a foundation of literacy and social well being but also the frequent critical and skeptical thinking that provides fairness and equality. Justice requires strong institutions but also a public that can freely communicate thoughts and concerns in order to build a social contract that matures. Erin Porter a BC teacher displays critical thinking and expressive communication skills we should all celebrate not suppress. Congratulations Erin! -Al Smith
FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2012
Critical thinking and Bill 22 – A teacher rebuts George Abbott
Dear Minister Abbott:Imagine there are two children arguing in the playground over a toy. Picture a tall, brutish bully, and a wiry, bespectacled nerd. Never mind that the toy belongs to the nerd. Never mind that the bully pushed the nerd over and took the toy. Just imagine that you walk into the situation with no foreknowledge of any thefts or pushing. Perhaps you ask to hear the story. Perhaps you even believe the bully’s story that the nerd is greedy, and has lots of toys, and for some reason wants to take away the bully’s toy just for fun. Perhaps you distrust the nerd, because you once knew a nerd who was untrustworthy. Now imagine that the bully pushes the nerd again. Right in front of you. Another student runs in and shouts at the bully to return the toy: you have a witness! It did belong to the nerd after all! Suddenly, the bully steps on the nerd’s throat and says, “If you try to stand up to me, if you tell on me, I’ll make you pay. I’ll take all your lunch money, every day, until you give up.”
Remember, this is happening right in front of you. What do you do?
This is what we call an allegory. We teach people to stand up to bullies. We teach people to stand up for what they believe in, even in the face of bullies. We are B.C.’s teachers and we are being stepped on. What will you do?
Erin Porter
Greater Victoria School DistrictEDUC.Minister@gov.bc.ca> wrote:
Thank you for your email regarding the current contract negotiations with the BC Teachers’ Federation.Government introduced Bill 22, the Education Improvement Act, to suspend the union’s strike action, … “
Today I learned my union voted to act on its 85% YES vote yesterday to picket Monday. This serious action is a legal response to BC government’s unilateral use of legislative power to remove the right of teachers to assemble and bargain. If power is used rather than sensible negotiating its no longer about money, or percentage points- its about due process and democracy.
I have had a few colleagues argue that saving the government( Boards) money when we will eventually get our rights stripped anyway, is dumb. Maybe a practical view. I’ve heard complaints that the union was stupid or that the leadership is wrong etc. maybe a truth. My response is I’ll side with a flawed union and voice issue rather than rollover quiet for a disrespectful, even illegal, and arrogant government. When is a time to resist oppression or injustice? When should my defense of civil society start? Sure unions are flawed. I believe in fact that the BCTF is a far more democratic organization than its past but the alternate of workers having no representation is also a seed of evil. I don’t feel bullying tactics against members were applied in my situation. I believe my union reps in Kelowna have been fair, patient and wise.
Why do people side with oppressive elitist government policies while giving in to the gradual and steady loss of rights or fair contracts ? Puzzling to me but I think they are scared. The Clark government has not demonstrated any fairness for a decade. Why should I trust them with my livelihood and profession? I don’t feel 85% of teachers just got bullied by a union. There are many wise people in my ranks
The irony to me is that the compensation and employment benefits all teachers enjoy is the result of hard bargaining back in 1990′s even language from the 80′s that demanded resistance and negotiating not rolling over. It would have been expected for Clark to push for zero wage increase but her BCPSEA has pushed for complete loss of classroom conditions and teacher security. Forget Bill22. It was the illegal action of Clark as Ed Min in 2002 that still has not been fairly resolved.
Teachers don’t want to strike – ever but the alternative of quietly bending over is just too Uncle Tom for me. I don’t want my family or friends to ever say to me- why didn’t you resist in 2012? Accepting and relenting because of fear renders us all weak and vulnerable. Expedient relinquishing of opposition to wrongdoing does not prove us practical nor wise. I sadly think that most workers are so financially tight that they fear the strain and do not become politically engaged out of fear. Teachers are very empathetic and patient people. Teachers see themselves even as passivists. Resistance or political activism are not in their DNA. Our society should admire not exploit or ridicule their desire to be peaceful; however, we should listen harder when these very people are disenchanted , overworked and angry. Al Smith
This week the BC Government Ministry of Education launched a new splashy program to ‘modernize’ education in the province. Obviously I have a strong interest in this endeavour and I am usually a real optimist but I cannot help feel that a big media launch of this ‘plan’ during a teacher’s strike means its more about politics than substance. My biggest complaint is that the largest responsibly to implement these big goals falls on the shoulders of classroom teachers who have not been welcomed participants in goalsetting for a decade now. My second gripe is that the tone of the media campaign implies that teachers in BC are NOT progressive or modernizing. I strongly believe that the recognized high standard of student achievement and service to our BC children has been primarily the result of skilled dedicated and burdened professionals who have compensated for ineffective if not hostile government policy. Increasingly the system has been stretched to breaking points by poor educational leadership. Competent superintendents, administrators and teachers have been asked to do more and more with less and less. It is my hope that any plan for renewal would at least recognize this fact but the Ministry or Government leadership has continued to be very combative with the BCTF. Plans to implement large progressive goals require good faith, trust and pragmatic strategies not relentless ideology. Blaming all woes on the teachers union is simply unfair and politically stubborn. Even the courts have had to rule in favour of teachers concerns. I am pained by this chronic lack of collaboration because I believe that a strong public education system is a pillar of progressive democrat society. Ideological initiatives that have veered away from public service produce ills we see south of the border. BC has a strong tradition and a delivery model that works primarily because our society has supported a public model delivered by highly trained professionals and financed by everyone through taxes. Subsidizing private school models only moves us toward a system that is favours the privileged. The global evidence is overwhelming. Just research the OECD papers to see that education investment serves people well.
B.C. has a strong education system, but there is no denying that our world is changing rapidly. New jobs are constantly being created, and technology is changing the way we communicate and connect with each other. We need to modernize the way students are educated so they are prepared for the world, not only as it is now, but will be in the future.http://www.bcedplan.ca/
My PLN has been discussing ( #bced #tlchat #bcedplan ) the new BC Education Plan recently and local media contacts have has some discussion as well CKNW and Janet Steffenhagan etc.. Many sensible ideas have been delivered with other trying hard not be soaked by cynicism of BC politics. Perhaps the most sober reflective assessment on the BC dynamic schooling landscape is Vancouver administrator Gino Bondi @gmbondi He has many progressive ideas and has been building some terrific initiatives within the VSB. Taking large sweeping vague plans and turning them into realtime projects is always the challenge. Teachers too often get snowed under by ineffective or sidetracked planning. ie. BCeSIS, Year2000, etc Dreaming is good. Necessary even but delivery inside a classroom is where the rubber hits the road each and every day.
Tweets sketched a few ideas on how a big scale project might be implemented.
VSB John Oliver Learning CommonsAt first blush, I think I can see why many of my colleagues have doubts but many also can see hope because there are many schools and classrooms already doing innovative modern technologically student centered programming. ie. VSB John Oliver Learning Commons The current curriculum is massive and is conflict with the modernizing, personalized learning goals outlined in the BCEDPLAN.
My initial assessment is soured by the government’s track record and the implication that today’s teachers are not progressive. Hardworking talented educated professionals feel slighted by the lack of collaboration and respect given to teachers while the plan makes claims too dismissive of the demands on teachers. The quality of service for our children during the current teachers strike proves BC teachers do place kids first. I will stay tuned.
I frequently read and see new cases of injustice and political dysfunction. It isn’t the cause of my migraines but ranting does blow off my suppressed political steam. I wish I had more strength, patient and courage to have run for office. My father n law served us well as Alderman/Mayor, my brother n law campaigned for MP. I campaigned in several federal elections. I had master teachers who taught me the virtues of Deifenbaker and Nixon and but I still chose the bigger center tent of Pearson and Trudeau. I am a political participant but while idly watching others protest for justice, I get a heart ache thinking maybe I should. I witnessed the demands of political life first hand. It is a challenge indeed for the courageous and the committed regardless of camp.
My aches and hindsight aside, activism, whether as election nominees or civilian voices of reason, is needed now.
Powerful interest groups are eroding democratic institutions and tearing up the social contract that has given the US (the west)the opportunity to grow and prosper. It’s not just one agent like Right to Life or Tea Party or the Klan but rather an interwoven pendulum swing against socially progressive movements. Our culture blames teens, punks, drugs, nose rings, unions whatever but in fact the biggest vandals have been the gatekeepers of the conservative coalition. Ok, you know I’m a centrist but still… Consider these tragedies since the New Deal:
http://democracyastray.blogspot.com
I believe the heart of the matter does lie in the cardboard signs of the Occupy protesters. People can see the hypocrisy of current politic trends. They see a fair elected democratic black President being thwarted every turn in DC. People are angry because progressive fair governance is gone. It’s way more than lost homes, bankruptcy,bailouts and joblessness; it is an anger fueled by frustration and loss of hope. Even the right wing super rich may lose it all if due process and social justice are ignored. Disaster capitalism is not sustainable. Social uprisings are going to expand. Common sense, fairness and upholding the intent of constitutional laws against any tyranny are vital. Like the little Third Wave experiment of Ron Jones in Palo Alto that proved even rich kids can become ‘nazis’, we are not simply ordained by God to act willy nilly; the west, including Canada, must deserve the right to be leaders of a better world.
It’s going to get ugly but there is finally push back from a generation who has been asleep. My generation has been soothed by affluence. Despite forces of propaganda, my sons and daughters, et al, are wakening from a slumber. I praise you and pray for you. This is not new. People have been lulled and oppressed a thousand ways. Occasionally a pocket bursts forth to lighten a better way of thinking. Tunisia, Egypt,Tiananmen Square, Occupy Wall Street, whatever.. Lenin and his oppressive Communists were born of Czarist oppression, greed and indifference.The Iron Curtain fell with barely a bullet fired. People marching throughout Moscow’s ‘evil empire’ not bombs. Human voice goes along way.
APATHY IS A FORM OF SELF INDUCED DISASTER. READ. LEARN. THINK. RESIST. VOTE. OCCUPY. ENGAGE. I’m no activist or beacon of righteousness, far from it, but I know what I see. Women’s rights, economic rights, civil rights,free speech, public education, health care, even capitalism itself is under siege and not by socialist or communist but by fascists.. They are all at risk if never cherished and defended.
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