January 6, 2020
Announcement: Ontario is Unique

To: 4 online petitioners, 8 email respondents, 6 mail canvassers, 87 reporters and commentators; 27 trustee candidates and trustees; 28 of the many voters who are very concerned about our "one-size-fits-all" school boards; and 148 generally interested folks including members of the Social Mavrik Federation.

From: Bob Bray, President, Social Mavrik Federation

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CAMPBELL RIVER: Bob Bray is pleased to discuss the feature of the K-12 school system in Ontario that makes it unique among Canadian provinces and territories.
Ontario is Unique
The Ontario Teachers' Federation does not bargain on behalf of teachers!

Instead the OTF has four affiliates that look after the bargaining on behalf of teachers and education workers. The names of the affiliates are:
ETFO - Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario
OSSTF - Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation
AEFO - Association des enseigantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens
OECTA - Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association

Having five teacher federations in one provincial jurisdiction is unique to Ontario.

The role of the OTF is primarily to work with the Government of Ontario as an equal partner in the management of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan.

In a recent brochure the OTF describes in part what the affiliates do as "protect members' interests". This begs the question of protecting those interests from what? From whom?

Some say its a myth that teacher federations are electorally active in favoring one political party over another. Some say its not a myth.

The info-graphic below is an attempt to show the link between government funding of Secular and Catholic schools and dues paid by education professionals to the five federations that give the Ontario K-12 school board system its uniqueness.
Click here to see a larger version of the above image.
Online Petition about charter schools
The online petition can be viewed by clicking on the blue button below.
Updated Results

So far 22 +1 citizens in Ontario and British Columbia have added their signature to this petition to call on the Ontario Government to allow charter schools in Ontario.


Petitioners'
Province


---------------------





Ontario









---------------------
British
Columbia

---------------------

Allow Ministry
To Approve
Up To 20 Public
Charter Schools

-------------------------





SUPPORT = 19









------------------------

SUPPORT = 3 + 1

-------------------------


Petitioner Demographics

Name of City or Town

--------------------------------------------------
Bowmanville = 1
Cochrane = 1
London = 1
Malahide = 1
Mississauga = 1
North York = 1
Oshawa = 1
Ottawa = 1
Sarnia = 1
St. Catherines = 1
Thorold = 1
Toronto = 6
Union = 1
Welland = 1

--------------------------------------------------
Campbell River = 1
Chilliwack = 1 + 1
Vancouver = 1
--------------------------------------------------
Email Survey about charter schools
The email survey questionnaire can be viewed by clicking on the blue button below.
Updated Results (none this week)

So far 8 citizens in British Columbia have emailed their position on independent publicly funded K-12 charter schools and the results are shown below.


Respondents'
Province



---------------------
British
Columbia
---------------------

Allow Ministry
To Approve
Up To 20 Public
Charter Schools


-------------------------
SUPPORT = 8
OPPOSE = 0
-------------------------
Respondent Demographics

Average Age
Number of Children
Number of Grandchildren
Number of Great Grandchildren

--------------------------------------------------
Avg Age=68 C=22 GC=51 GGC=4
Avg Age=0 C=0 GC=0 GGC=0
--------------------------------------------------
An easier-to-read summary of emailed questionnaires can be seen here.
Ontario Schools - Education Instability
Updates are shown in red lettering

School Board Elementary School s (31 Secular Boards)
  • phase 1 job action began on Tuesday, November 26
  • not completing Term 1 report cards
  • not participating in board or ministry courses outside of school hours
  • phase 2 job action began on Tuesday, December 10
  • not planning any new field trips
  • not collecting money for school activities, except charitable causes
  • some elementary schools went on strike for December 4, 10 and 17 where its education workers are OSSTF members
  • mediator will try to schedule talks in January
  • issues are special needs students, one early childhood educator in every kindergarten classroom and compensation
  • Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario ETFO
  • 83,000 teachers and members

School Board High Schools (31 Secular Boards)
  • work to rule began on Tuesday, December 3
  • Strike Day 1 - Wednesday, December 4
  • Strike Day 2 - Wednesday, December 10, against 9 School Boards
  • Strike Day 3 - Wednesday, December 17, against 10 School Boards
  • Strike planned for Wednesday, January 8, against 8 School Boards
  • Dozens of French-language schools areimpacted
  • Elementary schools in these 8 districts are impacted
  • Contract negotiations to resume in January with the mediator
  • issues are compensation, class size and two required e-learning courses
  • Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation OSSTF
  • 60,000 teachers and education workers

School Board French Schools (4 Secular and 8 Catholic Boards)
  • 450 French language schools
  • Franco-Ontarian teachers vote 97 per cent in favour of striking if necessary
  • teachers are not in a legal strike position
  • Association des enseigantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens
  • 10,500 members AEFO

School Board English Schools (29 Catholic Boards)
  • strike notice has been issued and teachers are in a legal strike position
  • contract talks are scheduled for January 9th and 10th
  • Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association OECTA
  • 45,000 teachers
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Contact:
Bob Bray, President, Social Mavrik Federation
Phone: 250-900-2422
Mail: 422-1434 Ironwood Street, Campbell River, British Columbia V9W 5T5
Email: bob.bray@socialmavrikbc.ca
Website: socialmavrikbc.ca
The Social Mavrik Federation is a registered society in British Columbia dedicated to cultural politics through endorsing MP / MLA / Trustee candidates and supporting initiative petitions, as directed by its members.
Facebook:
I have posted the image below on my Facebook page. I invite you to visit it at facebook.com/bob.bray.334 and, if you do, you are welcome to give it a like, and/or a share and/or a comment.
Click here to see a larger version of the above image.
Backgrounders:
Topics covered in previous Announcements: