As the bourgeoisie pushes its anti-social offensive, more and more people
are being drawn into the struggle against it. On October 4, an estimated
15,000 teachers rallied in Edmonton in front of the Alberta Legislature to
protest five years of education cuts by the Klein Conservative government.
"Education is supposed to be the great equalizer, but it's difficult
when the funding isn't there," said one teacher, who pointed out that,
"Public education in Alberta has been underfunded for the past number of
years and we don t see any real major sign that it's going to increase."
Bauni Mackay, president of the 30,000-member Alberta Teachers'
Association, stated, "We want Albertans to get the message that teachers
can no longer hold together an excellent public education system under
increasingly deteriorating conditions. We can no longer pay the price with
our health, our personal lives and salaries." Mackay pointed to a number
of problems, including increasing class sizes, the integration of disabled
students without the support of teacher's aides, shortages of equipment,
supplies and books, and the lack of money to adequately equip schools with
computer technology.
Alberta teachers saw their salaries rolled back by 5 per cent in 1993
and have had their salaries frozen for several years. They are currently in
contract talks in many areas of the province and are demanding increased
spending for education. They are presently working to rule and could be in
a strike situation soon.
In commenting on the teachers' rally, Education Minister Gary Mar
inadvertently admitted that the Klein government is withdrawing the very
concept of a universal public education system, saying, "We ve always said
we are prepared to re-invest in targeted areas, but we are not going to
increase spending across the board." This means that they are attempting to
create an education system geared toward meeting the narrow needs of the
capitalists for trained personnel. Funding for education and other social
programs which do not directly serve the needs of the capitalists are seen
as dispensable.
The needs of a modern society cannot be equated with the needs of the
capitalists to reap maximum profits. A constantly expanding and improving
education system is absolutely essential to meet the increasing
complexities, both technological and social, which confront a modern
society. Apart from the fact that a universal public education system is
an essential feature of a modern and humane society, investment in
education and other social programs is one of the most important ways of
putting more back into the economy than is taken out. By negating the role
of the human factor, the role played by a healthy and well-educated
population in the continued progress of the economy, the Kleins and
Harrises of this world are blocking the door to social progress; they are
depriving the society of that very force which is capable of providing
solutions to the all-sided crisis gripping Canadian society. Far from
being a factor for future prosperity, they are condemning Canada to
perpetual crisis.
The struggle of the Alberta teachers against the anti-social offensive
of the Klein government, as well as their raising of the issue of what kind
of education system is needed by the people of Alberta, are a concrete
contribution to the solution to this problem. They deserve the support of
the entire Canadian people.
TML DAILY, 10/97
Shawgi Tell
Graduate School of Education
University at Buffalo
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
