The minister of Education and Early Childhood Development says changes being made to the education system are not about unions.
As the province moves forward with following 11 of the 22 recommendations outlined in a recent independent review of the education system, unions representing education employees have come forward with concerns.
Most are upset with a lack of consultation with members and with the swiftness with which the recommendations are being followed.
When asked about their concerns, Churchill said the changes are a result of concerns from the public and the teachers being brought to government.
“This isn’t about the union, this is about our kids, it’s about fixing a system that everybody has told me is broken and not working from the opposition to parents to students to teachers themselves who demonstrated their discontent with the system enmass last year.”
Churchill adds that the Council to Improve Classroom Conditions has provided the province with feedback from teachers.
The Nova Scotia Teacher’s Union pulled out of the council last week in response to the lack of consultation on following the Glaze Report recommendations.
NSTU argues that one of the changes – removing principals from their union – will create an adversarial atmosphere in schools and force some of their most experienced staff out of the classroom and away from teaching.
It’s not clear if the teacher’s union will file any legal action against the province regarding the matter, however the government says they can legislate the principals out.
Churchill says the Glaze Report is the second independent report that has recommended removing principals from unions saying it’s a conflict of interest having administrators in the same union as teachers.
“The membership in the NSTU was dictated by legislation and we believe that we can address the issue of the conflict of interest with our instructional leaders and our managers being in that union through legislation as well,” says Churchill, adding that the province will protect the benefits and salaries of the principals.
But other unions have spoken out on the recommendations and what they call a lack of consultation from government.
Jacqueline Swaine, president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 2, which represents many education employees, including teachers assistants in Tri-County and the South Shore school boards, says the structural changes to the education system will cause ‘chaos’ before helping students.
She adds that SEIU had no consultation during the creation of the Glaze Report or in the implementation of its recommendations.
Churchill says Dr. Avis Glaze, who conducted the independent review on the education system filed a “robust” report and consulted with many groups.
“Dr. Glaze did a robust consultation in the time that she had, she met with stakeholders across the education system,” says Churchill.
The minister admits the changes may be uncomfortable at first but are necessary for the good of students.
“Change inherently creates uncertaintities and discomfort when you’re changing a system, particularly when all the major institutions that deliver our education system from the department to our board to the unions are being impacted.”
The province is planning on following 11 of 22 recommendations by this fall.
Churchill says they’ll follow the rest in the future but did not give a timeline on those recommendations.
