TEACHERS GET TOUGH

MASSIVE RALLY AT LEGISLATURE

By KELLY HARRIS -- Calgary Sun EDMONTON -- More than 12,000 Alberta teachers rallied at the provincial legislature yesterday, hoping to teach Premier Ralph Klein's government a lesson.
Calgary's public school teachers -- working to rule and in the middle of contract talks with the school board -- joined their colleagues in saying the public education system needs more money after five years of budget cuts by the Conservative government.
"We want Albertans to get the message that teachers can no longer hold together an excellent public education system under increasingly deteriorating conditions," said Bauni Mackay, president of the 30,000-member Alberta Teachers' Association.
"We can no longer pay the price with our health, our personal lives and our salaries."
Teachers took 5% wage rollbacks as part of Klein's efforts to balance the provincial budget.
The rally, which organizers said was the biggest-ever gathering of teachers in Alberta, was intended to kick off World Teachers' Day -- but the tone was that of a protest.
Teachers waved placards proclaiming, "Kids are worth it," "Class size does matter" and "Restore salaries."
The crowd drowned out the speakers by chanting "Get the message!" and "Shame on Ralph!"
Teacher Lori Roth said students with special needs aren't getting the attention they require, citing one student who has an attention deficit disorder.
"He can't read," she said. "I can see a spark in him, but he thinks he is stupid -- he thinks it is his fault."
Roth said the government is not giving schools the resources for the children who most need them -- but added she doesn't want to go on strike to get those resources.
"Teachers are terrified of striking."
Dave McDonald, assistant principal of Lord Beaverbrook high school, said he was in the public school system when teachers walked the picket lines in 1981.
During that 121-day strike, McDonald said the issue was between teachers and the school board.
The difference now, he said, is educators are starting to blame the government for the problems in schools.
Calgary's 5,500 public teachers have been working to rule since the beginning of the school year to back their contract demands for a restoration of their wage rollback.
They have voted against a mediated contract which would have restored their wages at the cost of job losses.
They have rejected binding arbitration.

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