Monday, December 03, 2007

The BCTF Is The Most Destructive Force To Children in B.C.

Not teachers, but the BCTF definitely! Education Minister Shirley Bond is asking teachers to have the courage to discuss the policy of holding back children who fail many subjects. The BCTF wants none of it!

Here are some voices from the destructive BCTF:

"There is no research that supports retention. What we end up doing is punishing children." - Janice Neden - Kamloops Thompson district

"We used to call that failing kids and we shouldn't fail kids." - Irene Lanzinger, president of the BCTF

These two women do not know of what they speak. Or perhaps they do and are more interested in protecting the reputations of teachers more than educating children. The fact that people like this are seriously involved in the education of our children should send a chill up the spine of every parent in this province.

I do agree that extra resources should be brought to bear to help kids who are failing but at the end of the year, if they can't pass the tests then it makes absolutely no sense to move them forward with the other kids who can.

I distinctly remember a boy named Ian who was in my class in Grade 5. Our teacher was going around the class, asking everyone to spell different words. Ian was unable to spell the word "blue". I kid you not. Take a moment to put yourself in his shoes. Can you imagine how embarrassed and inadequate he must have felt each and every day. This is what the BCTF wants more of.

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