Let's face it: Bill 22 is going to pass in the legislature. It was a done deal before the teachers voted to strike but we have just given this oppressive government an excuse for implementing new Orwellian law. But how do we prevent such an uprising from occurring again?
I believe we should turn to the young adult series The Hunger Games for our inspiration on how to quell revolution and to really make those teachers work for their resource dollars. Our province is already divided up into districts so choosing participants will be simple. We will hold two separate games: one for elementary and one for secondary. The different demographics with elementary and secondary teaching staff will ensure diverse competitors with two very different (and exciting!) games.
At the beginning of each school year, the name of each public school teacher is submitted into a box. The teacher will have the option of submitting their name one additional time at the end of each term. In exchange for their voluntary submissions, the teacher is given a nominal amount of money for classroom resources. Of course, how they spend the money will be at their discretion so that they do not lose their professional autonomy. At the end of the school year, each school district will choose two representatives to send to the Teacher Games: one elementary and one secondary.
To save taxpayers money, the arenas will be the 190+ closed schools around the province. As the closed schools are located throughout the province, this will ensure that there are economic benefits felt in various cities and towns. Each city and town will be able to promote tourism giving a boost to their local economy. It will unite the province with its festivities and parades.
Each tribute will be available for sponsorship. This will ensure that each competitor during the school year will work to ingratiate themselves with students, parents, organized parent groups like PAC and DPAC as well as the community at large. Their very survival and any resource dollars they hope to receive will depend on the sponsorship they receive during the games. Winning teachers, schools and districts, with their resources and additional funding, will attract new students which will, in turn, bring in additional funding from the provincial government. Schools and districts will truly work in a market economy.
It will be an honour for teachers to fight to the death for these resources, to demsontrate to the taxpayers who call them "lazy, underworked and incompetent" that they are willing to do anything for their vocation and to really work - through their participation in the games - during the summer. The added benefit of these games is that it will weed out all those half-committed teachers who are, according to many people, only in it for the six hour a day, nine month a year jobs. What lazy ass is going to choose a profession where you actually need to demonstrate your commitment to your job by fighting to the death for your students?
Imagine the quality of teachers we will attract to this profession and the level of dedication that we will see. Another uprising of people standing up for their rights to fair and respected treatment? Never!
Should other organized workers ever decide to stand up for their own rights and speak out against bullying politicians, we will have the opportunity to branch out these games: Paramedic Games, Police Officer Games. The opportunities for expansion are endless.
