BCTF International Solidarity Blog

On behalf of the 45,000 members of the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation, I want to express deepest condolences to all those who are grieving the loss of friends, family, and loved ones in the crash of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 in Tehran.  

Teachers take seriously our responsibility to educate our students about news and current affairs, so this tragedy will be the topic of classroom discussions for many days and weeks to come. We as teachers go beyond the academic realm and help deal with the social and psychological impacts that this terrible event is having, and will continue to have, upon our students.   

Some of us have children and youth in our classes who are directly related to victims, or who knew them as part of the close-knit Iranian-Canadian community here in BC. We’ll be taking special care to watch over them and listen to them with open hearts.  

It’s a sad fact that in times of conflict and uncertainty, immigrants and people of colour often face increased racism, Islamophobia, and marginalization. Being aware of that, BC teachers are firmly committed to standing up against the trend towards intolerance and exclusion. 

We are prepared to actively support students and families who may be feeling more vulnerable and less safe at this terrible time. We believe that all children have the right to learn in safe schools that are at the heart of welcoming communities. We stand in solidarity with you now and into the future.  

Teri Mooring
BCTF President

The BCTF supports the Chicago Teachers’ Union in their negotiations and job actions.

See the attached letter for more detail.

From Nepal in 1999 to Nigeria in 2008, stories shared by the members who part-took in Project Overseas are retrieved from our archives... Find them here, as published in the Teacher Magazine.

Inspired and considering on participating in 2019's pilot year of Project Overseas? Head to our Get Involved page to read the information sheet for applicants. Application will be posted in the near future...

Linked here is an article on Non-sexist and inclusive pedagogy by Steven Lloyd, President, Sea to Sky Teachers' Association. In it, Steve talks about deconstructing sexism and about oppression done in the name of "progress." He brings attention to the story of Berta Caceres, a member of the Lenca indigenous people of Honduras, who was assassinated for trying to protect their river from dam construction. A clear parallel exists with the story of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada.

The article was published in the Social Justice Newsletter for Summer/Fall 2016. For those that are interested in reading further on the topic of social justice, the entire newsletter could be found here.

Linked here is an article on Tri-National Conference for Public Education Defense by Nicole Jarvis, Vice-President, Early Career Teachers' Association, and teachers teaching on call in Surrey. In it, Nicole talks about her experience at the Tri-National Conference and learning about the common issues effecting public education in Canada, the US, and Mexico. A big common issue facing public education are constant cuts, creeping privatization, and socio-economic segregation. She stresses the need to educate the public on these issues, to hold the government responsible, and strive for an educated, equitable society.

The article was published in the Social Justice Newsletter for Summer/Fall 2016. For those that are interested in reading further on the topic of social justice, the entire newsletter could be found here.

The Tri-national Coalition in Defense of Public Education is holding its 12th conference in Vancouver in mid-May. The BCTF has been involved since the coalition was created in 1994.

This conference is an opportunity for interested members to learn about issues that are challenging public education on an international level (the neo-liberal agenda, privatization, “austerity”, etc.), and get involved in grassroots solidarity activities to counteract those challenges. There will be participants from BC, the rest of Canada, the US, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

For more information about the Tri-national Coalition, and to apply if you’d like to be considered as a delegate to the conference, please go to http://www.bctf.ca/IntlSolidarity.aspx?id=39549 and follow the links to program highlights and the application form. Please apply by April 11, 2016.

The BCTF International Solidarity Program especially encourages early-career teachers (first five years) to apply.

Teachers’ solidarity makes a difference in post-quake Nepal

Miriam Palacios of Oxfam Canada came to speak to the BCTF Executive Committee October 22, 2015, offering an update on the amazing humanitarian work they are doing in Nepal following the massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck last April 25. Oxfam has assisted more than 445,000 people, with emergency food and shelter, water and sanitation, rice and seeds, and much more.

Palacios also presented the BCTF with a thank-you plaque in recognition of the Federation's significant support for the relief work. The plaque has a beautiful photo of a Nepalese mother and her baby daughter, who was born only one hour after the earthquake hit.