By Jeffrey Parent
Local high school students itching to escape the pressures of the classroom since work-to-rule began in September are heading back to the basketball courts and volleyball nets.
A Nov. 4 vote ratified the collective agreement between teachers and the Ottawa-Carleton Public School Board.
The 100-page document states teachers don’t have to teach an extra period.
Coaching and other voluntary activities were temporarily suspended in September when teachers agreed to work-to-rule, in order to force the school board into contract negotiations.
Provincial legislation had terminated teacher’s contracts on Aug. 31.
But there are mixed feelings among teachers and students and a few schools are hard-pressed to find enough coaches.
Don Lawson, head of Lisgar collegiate institute’s physical education department, says he’s excited sports are back but is still unsure if he will be able to find someone to coach downhill skiing. Lawson adds many teachers feel reluctant to coach.
“One individual told me straight out that he would never coach again,” says Lawson.
Lisgar principal Angie Spence says she’s interested in seeing how many teachers come forward to coach.
She adds that in the past months she has seen many teachers find other activities to occupy time coaching would have filled. “Many teachers have other commitments now,” says Spence.
Sue Fleming, sports co-ordinator for the Ottawa-Carleton English Public School Board, explains it will take time to put the collective agreement into effect, organizing schedules and distributing workloads.
Fleming says she also expects fewer coaches due to how teachers were portrayed in the media.
“Some people have expressed the opinion they were bashed in the media by people they were coaching,” says Fleming.
“Some teachers would rather coach teams in the community.”
The issue of teachers reluctant to coach is not a phenomenon isolated to Lisgar but a trend throughout Ottawa high schools.
Rod Deneau, head of physical education at Glebe collegiate institute, says he is looking forward to winter sports but claims two teachers who were head coaches last year declined to coach this year.
“I think teachers will be a little more thoughtful now,” says Deneau. “There’s going to be some hard feelings but we’ll make do.”
Many high schools have sought out community volunteers to serve as head coaches, however each team still requires at least one teacher advisor.
Rod McGillis, guidance counsellor for Sir Wilfrid Laurier secondary school says the school has been pretty fortunate. Both its junior and senior boys’ basketball coaches are volunteers from the community.
While students at Lisgar and other area high schools are excited sports are underway, many are still disappointed fall sports were cancelled.
Janet Lunau, a Grade 10 Lisgar student, says she’s eager to get back in the gym.
“It’s good (work-to-rule) is over because it was really pathetic,” says Lunau.
“School was really dull without sports.”
While many students at Lisgar agree with Lunau, others say they don’t understand why the teachers decided to stop coaching.
“Teachers really like to see kids get involved, isn’t that why they are here?” asks Lisgar student Sarah Burns. “They should be here for students, not for themselves.”