While we may not agree with teachers’ wage demands (they make good money), we back them 100 per cent when it comes to more one-on-one support for children with special needs.
There is a growing number of students coming to school with anxiety issues that prevent them from learning effectively. Yet there are not enough specialist teachers to deal with these needs. That’s what the BC Teachers’ Federation is fighting for.
We wouldn’t want to be a teacher in a large class that has several pupils needing extra, one-on-one time. That’s too much to handle.
What causes anxiety in children? Let us count the ways. Poverty is one.
According to a report, our province has the highest child poverty rate in Canada, with one in five children considered statistically poor.
The report conducted by First Call, a child and youth advocacy group, says BC’s child poverty rate is 18.6 per cent compared to the national rate of 13.3 per cent.
If BC Premier Christy Clark doesn’t want to meet teachers’ wage demands, we understand. But put that money towards hiring more educators to reduce class sizes and address all these special needs requirements. We think this is a good compromise.
Existing special needs teachers are running ragged trying to keep up with the demand, and we fear that many students are falling through the cracks and not getting the help they deserve.
Having a child crying during homework because he or she is having difficulty understanding the curriculum is heartbreaking for a parent.
There are approximately 65,000 children in BC who have been diagnosed with anxiety disorders. There you go, that’s 65,000 reasons for the government to provide adequate funding.
Lyonel Doherty, Editor
