The teachers' union had best step back and think carefully before it writes its next move in stone. The union's decision to unnecessarily ramp up its war against Premier Christy Clark and the B.C. Liberal government could become a rout - and not in the teachers' favour.
The B.C. Teachers' Federation lost a big battle when the B.C. Liberals tabled legislation forcing a "cooling-off" period and a round of mediation. The appointment of Charles Jago, an apparently B.C. Liberal friendly mediator, also could be construed as a defeat. But in fact, the teachers' union should quit while it's ahead - because it is: by losing the legislative battle, the teachers actually won.
Consequently, job action of the kind now being proposed by the BCTF will be counterproductive on nearly all fronts.
Students and their parents don't take kindly to losing sports days, band concerts and school plays, end-of-year field trips - major activities that the kids looked forward to the entire school year (and in the case of graduation, throughout their school years).
Indeed, many teachers themselves are balking at the thought of throwing away countless hours of organization and preparation, and of disappointing the eager youngsters who are, after all, the very reasons for their career choices.
Like all the rest of us, they don't volunteer for nothing. They really are in it for the kids. It's something the BCTF honchos point out repeatedly - but it's hard to believe that they understand what they're saying.
The BCTF is now playing a game of diminishing returns. The more they wade into a political war, the more parents will think that it is about politics and not the kids. Even if it beats the B.C. Liberals, everyone else gets beaten, too. And let's face it, the B.C. Liberals have already lost anyway.
Teachers would do better to concede their victory and gird for the next battle.
