There's still nothing official but it would appear the WCSSAA senior boys basketball league won't be resurrected, while I'm still waiting for word on what will happen with WCSSAA girls volleyball, girls hockey and boys hockey.
Bluevale coach Doros Theodosiou, who isn't a teacher, shared the bad news with me on Wednesday morning, saying there were several teachers that wanted to coach, but had no choice but to follow the orders of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation.
Volleyball, it would appear, will also likely be killed while hockey could continue with District 8 teams.
WCSSAA, of course, tried to get all those leagues up and running earlier this week but Monday's brieft period of optimism -- by both students and many teacher-coaches -- was quickly halted when OSSTF instructed its members to stay away from extracurricular activities.
In the end, it it would appear that the same union that accused Dalton McGuinty of being a bully has become one itself.
And in case you missed my earlier tweet, OFSAA tournaments will go ahead as long as there is a convener in place and enough teams participating.
In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts on this mess.
Thanks for the comments everyone.
I'd just like to say that I think Mark and The Record have done an excellent job reporting the strife between the government and the teacher's unions and the effects it is having on the groups involved (parents and students included).
Posted by: Aaron | January 12, 2013 at 03:01 PM
For Aaron: Catholic schools have, for a long time, allowed non school board people (ie. parents and real experts- as most teachers who coach are hardly "expert" in that field). It's all a matter of police checks and liability. And for the closet bashers out there (not Mark!), it's important to remember that teachers in the Separate Board who coach do not get paid to do so either, and they get paid the same as the teachers at the public board. I would be curious to know (since I know very little about the Catholic board, except that it is allowed to discriminate in its hiring practices and has some rather antiquated views towards modern society... not the teachers' fault), what hoops DOES a parent volunteer have to jump through to coach @ Catholic school. Surely one of them reads this blog?
Posted by: Goran | January 11, 2013 at 11:22 PM
@ Mary...I'm not sure what your problem is, but I have simply welcomed discussion on an important issue. Shame on The Record? How about shame on you for not wanting people to have an opinion.
By the way, I have actually supported teacher-coaches in the past.
http://www.therecord.com/sports/highschool/article/799835--bryson-these-are-the-teachers-i-deal-with
Posted by: Mark | January 11, 2013 at 10:46 AM
@ Aaron. Thanks for the great post. Keep me posted on your research and feel free to contacting me by email or by phone if you feel like talking about what you find.
Posted by: Mark | January 11, 2013 at 10:26 AM
@Aaron - Thank you for approaching this issue in a positive & proactive way!
Great solution - while my children would prefer that their high school coaches be teachers, the Board needs to ensure that Union directives can not cause entire seasons to be cancelled.
Best of luck with your initiative - so many students appreciate your efforts!
Posted by: FCSI | January 11, 2013 at 09:43 AM
Wasn't bashing Teacher/Coaches just the Union and Gonernment. I know a lot of these people and they want to Coach but the Union is Strongarming them.
Posted by: Mike Riley | January 11, 2013 at 12:02 AM
@Aaron - Excellent research. I hope that the WRDSB & WCSSAA adopt a similar policy to allow greater use of volunteer coaches. Hopefully this could be in place in time for the spring season and certainly in time for the fall season.
Posted by: Go Hawks | January 10, 2013 at 11:20 PM
The Record and Mark have stooped to a new low in encouraging more teacher bashing on this website. For all of the time, effort, and energy teachers have given to our local students (many hours away from their own families) for many many years, the community now wants to throw them under the bus when they want to stand up for their rights. This has never been about money - why are we not standing BESIDE and in support of our teachers. Who has the best interest of our students - teachers or politicians? Its a no brainer. I am a nurse and I value and respect the teachers/coaches that have partnered with me in raising my two great kids. Shame on you The Record - this serves no purpose but to create more discord - but that is obviously what you want - shame on you!
Posted by: Mary | January 10, 2013 at 10:18 PM
As a student I have mixed feelings on our loss of extra curriculars. I understand what is occurring between the government and the unions, but at this point in the game they are both playing a game that is affecting more than just themselves and it feels as though they are ignoring the third parties.
I personally was quite excited when it seemed like the union had listened to the students and were resuming volunteer activities, but this excitement was quickly extinguished.
When I read the announcement, disappointment and annoyance was felt, and it made me want to do something.
Since Tuesday I have been doing research into alternate sources of volunteers, and the Ottawa-Carleton school board has an excellent solution which they implemented in the first part of this school year, expecting strife to occur between the government and the teachers. They amended a policy on volunteers allowing for community and parent volunteers to supervise extra curriculars. They have implemented a screening process, with principals submitting volunteer's names to the board who have hired 7 retired principals to check the applicants are acceptable, and then train them in board policy. This process has cost them $30,000.
If the return of volunteer activities only requires man hours and $30,000 (I'm relatively sure that by not running a hockey program, among other sports, $30,000 was saved this term) and some extra effort on the part of the board and the our school's principals in regards to paperwork and legal papers, I sincerely hope that with some effort I can attempt to get this into effect before another term of extra curriculars is lost.
Source for OCDSB policy and cost:
http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/10/11/ottawa-carleton-district-school-board-changing-rules-to-make-it-easier-for-volunteers-to-coach-high-school-teams
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1312323--school-unrest-high-school-teachers-union-forbids-return-to-extracurriculars
If anything else needs to be sourced let me know.
I am currently writing up a document to voice my ideas to the board and my principal, this is far from my complete idea, just a part of what I am considering bring to the board's attention.
Any and all feedback appreciated.
Sorry in advance if URLs to different newspapers are not appreciated Mark.
Posted by: Aaron | January 10, 2013 at 08:35 PM
Once again... is this REALLY the place for some of you (not all) to throw mud at the teachers who have been providing the sports for your kids for so long? You have a perfect right to be angry, but I'm not sure that slagging the coaches is going to encourage them to want to give up their (unpaid, volunteer) time once again when this mess is solved. What you seem to forget is that coaches are teachers. And OSSTF teachers voted overwhelmingly to take part in job actions- including withdrawing ECs and striking if necessary. I am not a teacher, but you need to understand that. Point fingers as much as you want, but to make nasty comments in here? No. I hope that Mark will do a far better job moderating this than his colleagues at the Record do with their other teacher comment forums that simply bash and defame.
Posted by: Goran | January 10, 2013 at 05:54 PM
I'd like to know what type of people are in charge of the Union. Unions are useful to a degree but can also be detrimental as well. In this case, the Union keeps harping on fact that they are setting an example to the Students to stand up for their democratic rights. Extracurricular activities help make the schooling experience more enjoyable. I say the Union Heads get their heads out of the sand (or wherever) and by the same token the Provincial government as well. Get back to the table and fix this mess. The example they are for our teenagers is disgusting. When there is a problem with a student they are strongly encouraged to talk about the problem, but these two sides would rather send out verbal garbage and act like 3 year olds who don't get their own way. Fix this mess before these teenagers find other things to do with their time.
Posted by: Mike Riley | January 09, 2013 at 11:28 PM
The Union likes to remind us that 92% of the Teracher's voted to strike. It would be interesting to see how many Teacher's are in favour of withholding extracuriculars for the kids. Guaranteed the Union would not release those stats. My kids have had awesome Teacher's who volunteer their time and we support them. We do not support what the Union is forcing them to do. We do not support the government for creating this mess.
Posted by: High School Sports Fan | January 09, 2013 at 10:42 PM
@Chris. I won't bash the teacher-coaches because the ones I've talked to would all rather being coaching than hurting the students, which is exactly what they are doing. It is the teachers union that is being the bully. Coaches are a minority, don't forget.
Posted by: Mark | January 09, 2013 at 04:16 PM
Thanks Go Hawks...I meant OSSTF. It is fixed.
Posted by: Mark | January 09, 2013 at 04:09 PM
Very sad it's come to this. I have two kids in high school and extra curricular's are a huge part of their education and experience - and that is being robbed. I don't like to paint all teachers with the same brush as most coaches want to coach - Blame the Unions and government. so sad
Posted by: Chris | January 09, 2013 at 03:51 PM
Correction to your blog. It was OSSTF that instructed its teachers not to do extracurriculars not OFSAA.
Bully is the correct term. The teachers are not able to bully the government or the school boards so they bully the only people they can, the students. The teachers deserve no respect!
Regardless of the politics of the government actions, there are other ways to protest, through political action, the courts or the ballot box. To choose to deprive students of an important part of high school life shows how selfish and cowardly the teachers are. They are NOT a good example for our teenagers.
Posted by: Go Hawks | January 09, 2013 at 03:29 PM