The teachers went on a one day, semi-legal strike yesterday in BC. I say semi-legal, because the legality of it is still unclear. They have been declared an essential service. Gordon Campbell says that by walking out, they are in violation of that, and therefore, the walkout is illegal. The teachers say that they have a right to political protest without consequence. They say also, that at the time that they decided to walkout, they had no contract in place. The courts have not said anything.

So, should the teachers be penalized for it? What's going to end up happening probably, is that the teachers will be not be paid for that day; they will be docked their salary for a day. I think that this is probably fair. It would be somewhat harsh to put them in jail, as they did in New Jersey. And it is indeed a political protest. But it is also a strike. Indeed, aren't all government strikes also political protests? And if they're really on strike, then there's really no reason for them to be paid, is there? No, I didn't think so. Okay, so that's solved.

What's up next? The lasting bitterness between the teachers and their employer? I honestly don't know what's going to happen. I think that the teachers did get shafted by the government. But they also are hypocritical. They say that the new contract is bad for the kids. It'll lower the quality of education. Well.....perhaps. Perhaps that's even part of the reason why they're upset. But come on. Don't use the kids as a shield, or as a pawn. Clearly it's about the teachers' own money and power. Government is guilty of using the kids as pawn too. It's not right. But I suppose it's inevitable. People are going to grasp onto whatever they can. We'll see how everything turns out...

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