Worries for special needs students if BC teachers strike potential, teachers, children, Children, special

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Worries for special needs students if BC teachers strike
Children and Youth Representative worries the most vulnerable children will be caught in the middle if BC teachers' strike in September.
Dan Burritt Jul 08, 2011 15:48:03 PM
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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - BC's child watchdog doesn't want special needs kids caught in a potential teachers' strike. Teachers have threatened to stop doing administrative work.

And that worries Children and Youth Representative Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond. "BCTF and the government are going to have to sit down and decide if the decision has been taken by the TF that they will not attend administrative meetings, for instance, in September, it's important for me that they make an exception and agree to go to meetings for children with special needs, so the teachers can know what the special needs are and accommodate them in the classroom."

She says aboriginal education leaders are also very concerned. "The most vulnerable children in our schools are aboriginal children.  If their needs are not going to be addressed, like meetings not be held for special needs students and so on, we cannot afford to lose a year of learning."

The BC Public School Empoloyer's Association says it's working with the teachers' union on what services will remain during any labour action, because legally, public education is considered an essential services.