Students protests at NDP MLA Doyle Vermette's office. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

Activism

Students protest in La Ronge in support of local teachers

Mar 14, 2020 | 8:00 AM

Students from Churchill Community High School in La Ronge were out in force Friday showing support for teachers.

Instead of attending class Friday afternoon, nearly 100 students walked to NDP MLA Doyle Vermette’s office along La Ronge Ave. to demonstrate against the provincial government’s ongoing negotiations with teachers. Grade 12 student Timber McKay said the protest was organized by the wrestling club, but many more students decided to attend.

“We thought it was going to be small, but as soon as word got around, we thought to ourselves we should go big and show people how much we really care for our teachers and the extra-curricular activities,” he said.

Teachers have cancelled before and after school activities as of Thursday in a bid to get a better deal from the provincial government. Earlier this week, teachers were offered a four-year contract that includes a $1,500 one-time payment to each teacher in the first year of the deal and a two per cent salary increase in each of the following three years.

There is a disagreement between the two sides, however, when it comes classroom sizes and composition.

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“Negotiations haven’t been fair,” McKay said. “They put a bunch of time in for us. I understand what they are doing by cutting the extra-curricular activities because they’re not getting paid to do it.”

Fellow student Tremayne Veteri noted the protest was designed to bring awareness about what is happening at schools. He added students are no longer allowed to stay at school at the end of the day.

“They are not getting support from the government and we are trying to show some support by getting all of us out to show students are trying to give back to them,” Veteri said.

After the students left his office, Vermette said he approved of the protest and that it was important to him to see students showing their support. He said teachers are being asked to do more with less and it’s creating challenges in classrooms.

“It’s sad the government is making teachers use that,” Vermette said. “There’s very little they can use as teachers to bargain with and it’s sad what they are doing, but I heard the students say they understand.”

COVID-19 changes with Northern Lights School Division

As of March 13, the Northern Lights School Division announced changes effective immediately for all schools due to COVID-19. Overnight field trips, guest speakers, external presentations, large gatherings and Northern Sport, Culture and Recreation District programming has been cancelled. Parent-teacher interviews and school closures are currently under review.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno