The FSA and the LRB

To all members:

We may have lost the LRB ruling over our role in administering the FSA tests, but we have not suffered a complete loss. The LRB also ruled that we do not have to prepare for or mark the FSA tests. The BCTF School Staff Alert (#26) of February 9th, 2009 that states the details of the ruling.

“The LRB made no order directing how school boards choose to fulfill their statutory obligations to administer the FSA. Therefore school boards may choose to have principals or vice-principals administer the FSA.”

“Administrators will not require teachers to perform preparation activities for the administration of the FSA that have not been performed in the past.”

“..the marking of FSAs was never at issue and was never part of the LRB ruling. The Federation position that teachers will not mark the FSA stands.”

I am asking you to refrain from preparing for the FSA tests. I am also asking that each and every one of you refuse to mark the FSA tests – even in the face of the employer offering you a $300 (pre-tax amount) for the pleasure.

We voted to boycott the test in its entirety. We may have to administer the tests, but we do not have to mark them – hold firm, use your day off as a day off – not a working day.

$300 for a day’s work is less than scale – it is $300 per person that is not going into your classroom, or into support for children with Special Needs. Resist the bribe, do not mark. Your employer has shown you how they want to treat you, and they have shown you how important the FSA tests are to their accountability agenda (an agenda that is undermining your professional autonomy, self-respect, and the trust in public education), so let them mark their tests – they want the data, the data will not help you teach, nor will it help your students learn.

STAFF REP/EXECUTIVE MEETING February 9, 2009

FJMES Library @ 4:30 P.M.

AGENDA
1. Call to Order - 4:30 p.m.
2. Adoption of Agenda
3. Adoption of Minutes
4. President's Report
5. Grievance Report
6. New Business:
7. Other Business:
-FSA Campaign update
-FDTA leadership review
-Bill 33 guideline
8. Committee Reports:
-Bargaining
-LR
-Health and Safety
-Social Justice
-Pro D
-Treasurer
-Aboriginal Education

Rep Assembly Activities

Our Local Representative will be publishing an article in the upcoming newsletter. Let me fill you in on the 'behind the scenes' work that was done at the RA at the end of January.

Time was spent with the 'local bargaining' group, and we discussed motions (both to the RA and to the AGM), and we decided on a brad base of definitions around the goals of local bargaining. Simply put, we are aiming for a return to full andf free collective bargianing at the local level. Everyone in the group agrees thast the current model doesn't work for teachers, but it most certainly has worked for the employer, in that the employer has prevented us from any effectibbve bargianing or negoitioans since 1996.

The East Kootenay Teachers' Association got together for a meeting over dinner on Friday night where we discussed upcoming motions for the RA.

We had a grweat presentation from BCiMC on our pension investments, and their attempts to become pro-active in the field of ethical investing.

The Coalition met to discuss their core values and to elect a slate of excellent candidates for this years BCTF elections. We also had a great discussion around 'traditional' union objectives (social Justice issues like health care, unemplyment insurance, health and safety, no discrimination, etc.)

FSAs took up a lot of time, as did the various details around the BCTF budget setting process.