This school year, the BCTF has made headlines with its job action and strike against the government’s education policies. Now, in protest of Bill 22, teachers are withdrawing from volunteering with extracurricular activities. The complex conflict is a hot topic in our community, so without delving too deeply into the politics of it all, here are a few examples of how students are affected and ways we have adapted to continue to participate in the extracurricular activities that make school more enjoyable.
Parkland’s student council is one group that has definitely been affected. It is mostly student-run, but in the past has counted on support from teachers for a multitude of events.
“In the past few years we’ve really relied on the teachers,” explained Taylor Edwards, one of the co-chairs of the student council team. “It has definitely been hard for student council to run by itself.” Events such as the 30-Hour Famine, which involved months of planning, could not be held.
However, with the absence of teachers, students have gained the chance to become improved independent leaders. “I’ve become a better and more supportive leader with this going on,” Taylor expressed. The focus of the group is now turning toward smaller events that can be held within the school, with continuing support from administrators.
Athletic teams are also affected, but teachers have done their best to ensure teams will not be disbanded, asking parents and other community members to step up. Volunteer coaches from the community came forward so all of the spring sports teams would continue to run. The senior girls soccer team will still be going ahead with their trip to Ottawa and the golf team starts soon.
For the graduation class of 2012, the withdrawal of teachers from extracurricular activities has meant responsibilities were handed to administrators and parent volunteers for events such as the annual grad fashion show.
According to Alanna Spence, a chairperson on the grad executive, “In terms of actual grad, the tremendous amount of parent support we’ve received means that the dinner and after-grad will be in no way affected.”
Without help from parents and administrators, it would be a very different story.
In the past, the teachers’ volunteering in extracurricular activities was taken for granted. It is now very apparent that they are, in fact, integral for these activities to be possible. This year, many students and community members have risen to the challenge and taken on new responsibilities so that while the situation continues, students will not miss out on too much.
Catriona Dempsey is a Grade 11 student at Parkland secondary school.