By Melanie Richmond
The dispute between the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation and the Ontario government has some teachers cancelling activities and students sitting on the sidelines.
Lisgar Collegiate, like other schools across Ontario, has prevented all extracurricular activities from beginning. Class trips and activities required as part of a course are being continued.
Ivo Entchev, a Grade 12 student at Lisgar, says the teachers’ refusal to participate in activities is sending a mixed message to students.
“Ever since I’ve been at Lisgar, teachers have always told us to get involved in extracurricular activities because it would add to life at Lisgar and it seems now they’re being hypocritical by not participating,” says Entchev.
Caitlin Jenkins, an OAC student at Lisgar, understands the teachers’ position, but says the situation is only hurting students in the long run.
If the school year continues without sports activities, Jenkins says it could hurt students’ chances of playing at the university level.
“For tournaments we go to different universities to play and the university coaches see you and talk to you,” Jenkins says.
“But if we don’t get to play obviously we won’t get that opportunity.”
The dispute between the OSSTF and the Ontario government centres around instructional time and its definition. The Ottawa-Carleton school board is asking for six and a half periods out of eight while the expired contract only required six.
Jenkins’ assertion that school is more than academics is why the union has suspended voluntary activities, says Larry Capstick, local president of the OSSTF.
“Unfortunately, the Minister of Education feels that extracurricular activities are nice, but not necessary and not necessarily instructional.”
Capstick says he applauds the efforts of students to raise the issue since teachers are specifically trained to volunteer for the positions. He says the Ontario government is not recognizing the time teachers put in outside of the classroom.
Lisgar Collegiate principal, Angie Spence, says she understands how frustrated students are.
“I completely understand that the informal learning that goes on outside of the classroom is a huge part of growing up and it’s unfortunate that these activities are being cancelled but hopefully the situation will be short lived.”
Although negotiations with the school board have resumed, Capstick says the current situation may continue until the workload issue is resolved.