But, I'm Actually Sick

Negotiations are finally done, the ink barely dried, and yet the stage is already being set leading into the next round of bargaining, potentially with a government which has already exposed its contempt for public education and Teachers in the two previous two collective agreements.  Once again, and all too predictably, Teachers are being maligned in the media, this time for accessing the benefits they bargained for in their collective agreement.

For those of you who follow the news cycles closely, you might already be aware of a recent article (article is paywalled - sorry!) headlining the Toronto Star respecting a troubling new practice emerging from some school Boards in Ontario. For those of you just reading about it for the first time here, in an effort to curb the use of sick leave provisions, school Boards in Toronto have turned to hiring private investigators to "sniff out" inappropriate use of these provisions, and then use those Teachers as an example to intimidate others who would seek access to their benefits in good faith. Let's be clear - impropriety in accessing the benefits of our collective agreement is never advocated for, nor condoned.  

While the practice of surveillance  has resulted in the termination of an undisclosed, though small, number of Teachers in Toronto, true abuse of the collective agreement is rare. Frankly, Teachers should not be criticized for accessing the provisions that allow them to recover and return to work healthy. Having Teachers at their best when they are in classrooms working with students should be a goal that we all share. 

As per historic past practice, Teachers of Hamilton-Wentworth are advised to continue following the terms outlined in their collective agreement in order to access their benefits, and should not feel intimidated for doing so.

Barking Up the Wrong Tree 

Can't we just go about doing our jobs for a couple of years without being dragged through the mud? Why the constant barrage of hating on Teachers?  

A couple of reasons to offer. First, a well-timed news item dropped coincidental to other stories which are much more worthy of the spotlight is a time tested and true way to direct the attention of the public eye away from the bigger picture and onto a much smaller piece of the puzzle. 

Surely, there are other areas of government spending upon which light should be cast, such as the threefold year-over-year increase in spending on predominantly self-adulating advertising (Auditor General's Review of Government Advertising, 2024) by the Ford government in 2024, reported to stand at $103.5 million. Or the billions wasted in handing over a cherished public space, Ontario Place, to a private company to develop and profit from.

While the government targets Teachers, they overlook far larger areas of wasteful spending. Is it fair to single out Teachers when millions are needlessly spent on self-promotion and billions unconscionably wasted on other fronts? Targeting Teachers is, quite frankly, barking up the wrong tree; a distraction from Ford's flagrant fumbling of taxpayer finances. 

By the time the current news cycle concludes and a fresh new set of stories takes hold in the public consciousness, what lingers in the ether is rage toward, ultimately, a very small handful of unscrupulous Teachers, though the profession at large bears the brunt. Meanwhile, reports of questionable spending of enormous sums of taxpayer money goes by the wayside, any potential damage from the story having been all but nearly mitigated. It's a masterclass in public relations, and manipulation, to be sure. A little bit of panem et circences to distract from the real issues.

Batten the Hatches

A second reason to consider for the unabating onslaught against our profession is, of course, that the next round of collective bargaining is just around the corner. Shaping perspectives early on anchors attitudes in the court of public opinion, and can pull the wind from the sails of any future job-action which may be necessary. A tarnished impression of Teachers leading into negotiations will, undoubtedly, serve to undercut support received from the public in the collective bargaining process. In this regard, Teachers should expect these sorts of attacks to continue. There is no parley when bargaining with this government.

The seas ahead are shaping up to be rough ones. To be blunt, sick leave provisions of Teachers is the next target for Ford in the concerted effort to dismantle public education in Ontario in favour of an expansion of charter schools and a voucher system. Make no mistake about it - Doug Ford believes your sick leave provisions are too rich. Make no mistake about it - he's coming after them! To be certain, Teachers and publicly funded education in Ontario are carrying a large target. Batten the hatches. A foreboding storm is on the horizon. 

At a Glace

• Kids Take Ontarians to School by Stephen Michalowicz

• Learning From Diverse Voices by Yvonne Runstedler

• Unite, Inspire, Uplift by the Provincial Status of Women Committee

• Exploring the Galapagos Islands by Zaher Hachimi

• Transforming Sustainable Classrooms by Jacqueline Whelan

• Gifting Yourself by Michelle Despault

• Mental Hygiene by Simon Dallimore

• Signs of Hope by Simon Dallimore

• Based on a True Story by Gian Marcon