On Wednesday, October 29, the Ontario government sent its lawyers
into court to seek an injunction against the province's 126,000
teachers who are waging a political protest against Bill 160 by
staying away from work. The government is asking the courts to
expedite the matter so as to get its injunction granted by
Monday.
Meanwhile, the struggle of the teachers is gaining broader
support. It is estimated that about 60,000 support staff are
refusing to cross picket lines. The Ontario Catholic Bishops have
taken a stand in support of the teachers, describing their fight
against Bill 160 and in defence of public education as a "moral
struggle."
Aside from maintaining pickets at the schools, teachers and
supporters are carrying out many other activities. With the
Ontario government having launched a $1 million "law and order"
campaign against the teachers, the teachers unions are carrying
out their own advertising to explain their positions. They have
also issued an Open Letter opposing the efforts of the government
to confuse people about the various issues at stake in
educational reform to prevent the actual content of Bill 160 from
coming under public scrutiny. (see article on page 1) Teachers
have also taken their protest to the "public hearings" being
conducted on Bill 160 by the Ontario government. In Ottawa on
October 30, teachers set up a picket outside of the hotel where
hearings were being held. The hearings, ostensibly held to
consult the public, are falling into greater and greater
disrepute as the government insists that no substantial changes
can be made to the legislation. The Ontario government has
uninvited prohibited teachers from attending the "public"
hearings which were scheduled for a mere 7 days in various parts
of Ontario.
TML DAILY, 10/97
Shawgi Tell
Graduate School of Education
University at Buffalo
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
