Cancellation of Extra Curriculars Hurt Inner City Kids The Most #Bill115 #OSSTF

I am stuck between a rock and a hard place today in my career.  I am fourth year teacher, and I love coaching and clubs.  Today staff made the individual decision to not coach and many clubs followed suit.  I am a strong believer in OSSTF and I am personally hit hard with Bill 115.

These kids often do not have the financial freedom to join outside of school clubs or teams.  I open the weight room and started this week.  Many kids told me this was the first work out since last time I opened the gym because the couldn’t afford it.  When I taught at my last school the kids on the football team got to play because equipment was donated.  There was slim to no chance they could go play in an outside league.  Those students who come from multi-parent homes and middle to upper class can afford these activities and sign them up.   I am not saying they don’t deserve the clubs but at least they have alternatives.

It hurts the community as we have clubs like the Eco Club that get involved and green the community.  Where should I stand when my rights as an educator are stripped?

I teach amazing lessons, I coach, I volunteer, I plan until all hours of the night and our basic democratic rights are taken from me.  I did my masters over the last 3 years, which cost me $13,000 in just tuition alone.  I took another two AQ courses this fall for $1,500, this grid freeze hits me hard.  The raise I would get for a total of 8 years of post secondary schooling would take 5 years to pay back the $14,500.  This is why teachers are mad.

I don’t want people to feel sorry, I feel worse for these kids.  The government should see what good teachers actually do for the schools and community.  Teaching is not a job for me, it’s a passion, I don’t punch a card out at the end of the day, work always comes home with me, marking, planning, prepping and emotions.  I will leave it at that, as I don’t want to get into further politics and into banter over it.  It is Dalton McGuinty who claimed to support us, we volunteered with the liberals at the last election and now this Bill 115 isn’t putting students first !