NationStates Jolt Archive

Like the title says, I was inspired to propose this issue due to the teachers strike here in British Columbia, Canada. It's gone on over a week now and a general strike is probably going to occur. It all happened because the BC Liberal government named teaching an 'essential service' that made it illegal for them to strike; then the government proceeded to uncap class sizes and freeze wage increases, and refuse to negotiate. Class sizes really were too big, with classes of 35 kids, some sitting on the floor because there weren't enough desks....pretty ghetto.

PROPOSED ISSUE

Name:
Public school teachers threaten job action.

Description:
@@NAME@@'s public high school teachers are threatening job action and possibly strikes due to large class sizes and lower than average wages.

Validity:
Valid if education funding greater than 0

Options:

[option]"How am I supposed to give any of my students my undivided attention when there are so many of them?" writes high school teacher @@RANDOMNAME@@ via tastelessly-colored email. "I can't even keep their attention because the ones without desks play hockey across the classroom floor. We need more teachers in our schools and higher wages to attract them!"
[effect]public schools are going on a hiring binge
[stats]education funding up, tax rate up, intelligence up, (see Issue #24 - Option 1, Issue #64 - Option 3)

[option]"These public servants always seem to be threatening us with one thing or another," types minister of labour @@RANDOMNAME@@ during a late-night e-debate marathon, "so let's bring in legislation forcing unions to work on our terms. Declare unionized jobs as 'essential services' and they will be unable to strike because, let's say, civilization will risk immediate collapse."
[effect]teachers are chained to their desks
[stats]personal freedoms down, education funding down, tax rate down, happiness down, intelligence down a bit

[option]"When I was a young pup," stencils @@RANDOMNAME@@ via pigeon carrier, "we had classes of 62 all in one school house with only one teacher! If we didn't sit up straight, we'd get a paddlin'. We learned the good old fashioned way--through fear. Let teachers discipline their students in any way they see fit."
[effect]students are chained to their desks
[stats]personal freedoms down a bit, education funding down, tax rate down, compassion down, happiness down, intelligence up a bit, arms manufacturing up (see Issue #64 - Option 1)

[option]"Let 'em strike," reads the calligraphic note handed to you by two slick-looking gentlemen, "the private sector and church sector will pick up the slack. We could educate the population better and cheaper anyway, with quality fitting any income level...heh heh heh."
[effect]free education has been reduced to twelve TV channels
[stats]education funding down to zero, tax rate down, soda sales up, pizza delivery up, intelligence down a bit, devoutness up, equality down

For option 1, you should also raise the tax rate. Also, in the description, I personally would prefer not to see an actual number, would rather see "so many students that I can't see the classroom floor" or something more general and/or humorous. Colleges will have classes of 500+, 1000+ people sometimes, makes 35 seem like nothing.

What's with the "nudity up" as a stat for option 2?

Option 3 is actually an issue that already exists, and this may cause too much overlap with it. Also, I don't know why personal freedoms would go up because of it. If it's because the teachers have more freedom to discipline, remember that young people are (or should be) entitled to most of the basic rights as adults. I don't think most people would say it's okay for their boss to discipline their subordinates by paddling them, so I would argue that it's not okay for teachers to do it to students. But that's just my personal feelings on the subject matter.

For option 4, if the gov't. is getting out of education altogether, which 0 funding for edu. would indicate, then why is it giving money to commerce and religion? That's not gov't. getting out of education then, it just seems like it's trying to give it a different name.

"Let 'em strike," goes the calligraphy handed...At the beginning of option 4, I think it would read a little better if it said something like: "Let 'em strike," reads the note handed...

The first option needs some cons. Also, drop the increased commerce and religion funding in option 4, and instead have it increase the economy. Also, it should not decrease intelligencem as it does not stop your populace from learning, it just makes them pay for it, so maybe it can decrase equality or happiness.

it should not decrease intelligencem as it does not stop your populace from learning, it just makes them pay for itI think the idea behind dropping intelligence is that not everyone will be able to afford education, and also the quality would then be directly tied to income, while now it is only partially the case now (in America, at least).

I think the idea behind dropping intelligence is that not everyone will be able to afford education, and also the quality would then be directly tied to income, while now it is only partially the case now (in America, at least).
WEll, maybe put that intelligence goes down a bit, as the people who can't afford school will be dumber, but most people would be able to to afford education. Also, have you ever heard of homeschooling?

Homeschooling is practical pretty much only if one of the parents doesn't have to go to a job every day.

Thanks for the tips, guys.

I was trying to make the stats technical, not subjective. Now I see how the reduced freedoms of many are outweigh the increased freedoms of one; plus the options make more sense now. Now I have to look up the duplicated option from an existing issue...

Man, this teacher's job action is taking a toll on us Grade 12s. :(

BTW, I like your issue. ;)

Man, this teacher's job action is taking a toll on us Grade 12s. :(

BTW, I like your issue. ;)

I'm in Grade 12 too, shouldn't they extend the school year accordingly? If we had to rush through it would be very very...
:headbang: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :sniper: :gundge: :mp5:

Plus we can't take grade 12 over again because of budget restraints...LOL :'(

10,000 people surround parliament and the government STILL won't change its stance. WTF? Democracy, eh...

I'm in Grade 12 too, shouldn't they extend the school year accordingly? If we had to rush through it would be very very...
:headbang: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :sniper: :gundge: :mp5:

Plus we can't take grade 12 over again because of budget restraints...LOL :'(

10,000 people surround parliament and the government STILL won't change its stance. WTF? Democracy, eh...
It is called 12th grade, not Grade 12. I say fack school though, as todays teachers a unfit for their job.

It is called 12th grade, not Grade 12. I say fack school though, as todays teachers a unfit for their job.
In Canada: Grade 12
In the US: 12th Grade

see the difference?;)

"Grade 12" sounds better, "12th Grade" doesn't make sense.

"Grade 12" sounds better, "12th Grade" doesn't make sense.Only because you're used to saying it one way and not the other. To an American, "12th Grade" flows quite well while "Grade 12" just sounds awkward. Either one is correct, though.

Enough Canada v.s. America wars. I am not an american, I am Polish!

In Canada: Grade 12
In the US: 12th Grade

see the difference?;)

"Grade 12" sounds better, "12th Grade" doesn't make sense.
Thats a lie. And I am not american, I am polish!

You know what...Canada and America both suck. TEXAS RULES!

(For those of you who don't know, Texas is just a state in America. This post is not to be taken literally by Canadians, Americans, or anyone of other national origin. If you are a Texan however, you can totally take this literally. :P)

Oops, forgot. I have to comment on the issue. Either way, I don't like it. Too much of a lose-lose for me.

Also, I think hat the word "hockey' should be removed from option 1, because different sports are popular in different places.

Hockey happens to be quite playable on a classroom floor.

Hockey happens to be quite playable on a classroom floor.
same thing goes with many other sports.

Like what? No throwing or kicking, remember.

BC teachers strike ended. Thankgod we're back in school. :)

Like what? No throwing or kicking, remember.
Students who are bad enough to play sports on the classroom loof wouln't care about such rules.

Since this hasn't been about issues for some time, iLock.