June 12, 2010 @ 13:34
For some reason it hasn't gotten a lot of play, but there's a story developing that exposes the the Ontario Teachers Federation (OTF), the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation and the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) as a hypocritical bunch of cry babies.
Plans by Nipissing University to give former Ontario Premier Mike Harris an honorary degree and name a library after him has been met with the most immature opposition.
They have threatened to boycott graduates of the University. Isn't that heroic?
It goes back to the mid-90's when Harris, uncharacteristic of most politicians, displayed enough balls to do what had to be done in Ontario.
We were coming off the four years of the wretched Rae government that had pretty much destroyed the Province and put it several years behind the times.
Harris, reacting to this, and severe cuts in transfer payments from the federal Liberals, showed remarkable leadership by spitting the eye of the polls, not pandering to special interest groups and putting the province back on course.
He made tough decisions, many not popular, and a few in retrospect not with their intended goal, but he did what the thought had to be done and won two majority governments because of it.
Imagine Mike Harris actually requiring that teachers continuously undergo testing to prove they're worthy of the job? What a nutball!
Imagine Mike Harris wanting standardized testing throughout the province so a kid in Thunder Bay was learning the same curriculum as a kid in Windsor. What a freak!
But give Ontario's Teachers Federations credit for long memories, because now they're making strong suggestions that going forward they may actually punish students for the actions of a Premier who is almost ten years out of office.
Ontario Teachers Federation President Reno Melatti said this. "I don't know what actions will be taken, but if affiliates no longer take Nipissing student teachers, we can't compel them to do so. They have grave concerns. There could be boycotting. If there are not enough placements, it could be difficult for faculty to place them."
And Sam Hammond, president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, said this. "There is "absolutely, no doubt" the issue of student placements will be considered for discussion if the university follows through."
How's that for blatant threats? How's that for setting a piss poor example to the students of this province? Isn't that a fine way of trying to get your way - attack students who had absolutely nothing to do with the issue at hand?
It's petty and unbelievably childish and goes against everything that you would expect students to be taught at any level of education, starting at lets say, kindergarten.
If I didn't read it with my eyes and hear it with my ears, I wouldn't have believed it.
Think about it, because the Teacher Federations disagree with the way they were treated by Harris in the mid-90s, they're going to take it out on students in 2010. And to think these people are actually have a say in the future of our youth.
The irony is, it doesn't matter whose governing Ontario, the teachers have a problem with them and refuse to give-up an ounce of power. Sometimes I wonder if they think they're running the province.
The tactic is extremely slimy. Voice opposition to the actions of Nipissing University and force their hand by threatening the students, hoping that in the best interests of those students the school backs down.
Threaten to punish students for something they have no control over. How noble. If it was up to me, I'd fire the whole fuckin' bunch.
To Nipissing University's credit, plans to honour Harris will proceed.
And so they should. Harris was the local MPP during his time in politics and he's been responsible for raising millions for the university and local charities.
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