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Your Views

February 24, 2015

www.facebook.com/ABteachers

Via Facebook, we asked: What would you say if you could sit down for a chat with Premier Jim Prentice?

David Tremblay: As a recent education graduate, I am hesitant to get into the profession due to the cuts in funding that have already happened and that are now being proposed. How will you attract new teachers into a profession that is constantly being degraded by our provincial leaders?

Shelley Gartner: Ask him to come spend a day with me in our AB schools. See where he thinks he can cut funding or our pay.

Daniel Nelles: Retro-Klein cuts aren’t back in style. The “cool kids” from the ’90s weren’t actually that cool — imitation is a fool’s game.

Letter to the editor

New policy welcome but is it for real?

Re: Ready to engage (ATA News, Jan. 13)

Plaudits for your new letters to the editor policy.  Yes, I have been one of those “voices crying in the wilderness” for perhaps 35 years. Dear old mama ATA has talked down to its members ever since the founders went to their just reward and, unfortunately, the job teachers do has been so demanding that they have seldom had the time or inclination to talk back.

But there is a well-recognized syndrome with all union movements. In the literature it is referred to as regression to the mean, or “I’m all right, Jack,” so as to despoil any criticism or useful exchange of ideas. Most members recognize the syndrome but are just too busy in such a demanding job to take the time or come up with the effort to take on the institution.

As with most letters-to-the-editor sections, this will probably just amount to a handy dustbin in which to syphon off those pesky critical cranks (CCs), but it is perhaps a start.

Good luck!

Nick Gass, retired teacher
Calgary

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