Durgan

Originally posted by cliochannel: Reality for the doubting about stress levels. A heated topic to be sure. Having said that, I would rather be in the classroom than out on the street. Forget the damn salary increase and put more teaching assistants in the classroom. Did you know that there are children with the mental age of 2 and 3 years old sitting in intermediate classrooms and they do not have full time teaching assistants? Did you know that a primary class teacher had to leave her classroom of children and take a wheelchair bound, partially paralyzed, mentally handicapped child with a mental age of 3 years old to the bathroom and toilet him and wipe his bottom because he does not have a full time teaching assistant? As he gets older his TA hours decrease. Did you know that educably mentally handicapped children (IQ between 55 and 69) do not get funded for any teaching assistant time in elementary school, yet in high school they will be put into a special class? Did you know that if you have an autistic child in kindergarten for 12 and a half hours per week, he will only be funded for 6 hours of teaching assistant time. Did you know that dyslexia is found in about 10% of the population, and there is no extra funding for them--that means in a high school of 1500 students, there will likely be 150 dyslexic students. Did you know that moderately mentally handicapped students (IQ below 55) are in the classrooms with only partial TA support. Did you know that mental illnesses such as bi-polar are also present in young children and they are in classrooms, with no support? Let me describe a classroom to you, and this is not an unusual classroom--this is today's reality. It is not an inner city classroom but at a 'middle class' school. The classroom has 30 students. Two students have been diagnosed by their psychiatrists and pediatricians as mentally ill--one has severe depression and sits in class and mumbles and moans, the other child is bi-polar and when on a 'high' sings at the top of his lungs. 3 children have attention deficit disorder, and as it is their parents right to choose treatment options, they are not on medication. There are 4 dyslexic students in the classroom. There are 4 ESL children in the classroom--two speak minimal English, two do not speak English at all. There is one student with a mental age of three who has cerebral palsy, is in a wheelchair, and has major hearing loss and wears a hearing aid. The reality is that there are more and more special needs students in the system each year. As medical advances increase the survival rate of premature and fragile newborns, more of these children will survive with major health and learning issues, and they will be in the regular classroom. Ten years ago, the one and two pound preemies did not survive. Now they do. Did you know that autism is on the rise? Did you know that Oppositional Defiant disorder is on the rise, and is found in younger and younger children? Ask me about all the summers over the past thirty years of trying to support the special needs students, that I have spent taking courses with my colleagues. Ask me about the Crisis Intervention courses we have taken to help us deal with violent students. Ask me about the times my colleagues and I have been struck at and threatened by a child. Ask me about the children with acquired brain injuries from accidents who don't get teaching assistant support. Ask me about the 'gray area' students with IQ's between 70 and 80 who will struggle and struggle, but will not fit into a Ministry category. Ask me about the two year waiting list to have a school psychologist (some of whom work at 9 or 10 schools and are only able to be testing at each school 1 or 2 mornings a month) test a child for a learning disability, or special needs issue such as being in the mentally handicapped range. The teacher's strike? Both sides need to stop being bull headed and sit down to talk. The decrease in the numbers of kids in school--true, but the reality is that of those that are still in the school system probably 30 to 35% have some sort of special need. If you have a grandchild about to enter school? Send them to a private school--not because the teachers are superior, because most of them have screening and entry requirements and do not have to take all comers like the public schools--they can keep out all the special needs kids if they choose, and the teachers can teach without their attention being diverted. Reality--will funding every keep up with the number of special needs students entering the public school system? No, there are just too many special needs kids coming in to the system--more autistic, more mentally handicapped, more cerebral palsy kids. I have taught these children for over thirty years as a school based support teacher, and have seen the class composition change over the years. Do you know someone who has a child graduating from a teaching college? Tell them that that eager graduate should look toward the private system. I have loved my career with special needs kids. My own son had hoped to go into teaching--he spent volunteer hours in several classrooms in several different schools, helping out (a criteria now for those entering teaching programs). He saw the reality, and chose to give up a lifelong dream, and take another career path. So, from a special education teacher's point of view, I wish the top levels of both sides would quit the bloody posturing and sit down and talk, and let me get back to work. But please, spend money on getting more teaching assistants into the schools--we are quite literally drowning in special needs students, and there is no end in sight. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reality check. Durgan.

That's factually incorrect. Fourth guilty plea in Buffalo terror case BUFFALO, New York (CNN) -- The fourth of six Yemeni-American men accused of attending an al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan pleaded guilty Tuesday to terrorism-related charges. CNN 'Paintball Terrorists' Convicted of Conspiracy ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Three American Muslims accused of using paintball games to train for holy war were found guilty of conspiracy charges on Thursday. FoxNews <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What are the radicals preaching in the mosques? Everything that happens in the US is ome type of conspiracy acccording to the somebody. Bullshit. There are too many smart people in the US Senate and House to accept whitewashes. Al Quaeda is probably believed to be true by the powers to be, or are. The establishment can focus on an enemy that they can't find. Al Quaeda probably started the terrorism, but it is the message preached in the Mosques that keep it alive. I say it more likely stems from the hatred that is preached in the Mosques throughout the country, and certainly in the Arab Moslem countries. Look there for such fanaticism, that brainwahed people will blow themselves up with as many innoncent people as possible. A six week exposure will not convince a person to strap a bomb to themselves and kill innoncent people. It takes constant propaganda and reinforcment fueled by religious fervour to make such a person. Look to the Mosques, sorry folks that is reality. Durgan

That's factually incorrect. Fourth guilty plea in Buffalo terror case BUFFALO, New York (CNN) -- The fourth of six Yemeni-American men accused of attending an al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan pleaded guilty Tuesday to terrorism-related charges. CNN 'Paintball Terrorists' Convicted of Conspiracy ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Three American Muslims accused of using paintball games to train for holy war were found guilty of conspiracy charges on Thursday. FoxNews <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Let's bring focus on what is preached in the Mosques. That is where we will find the roots of terrorism. Durgan.

If Al Qaeda exists it has to be the most astonishing fighting body the world has ever seem. Food for thought. Durgan. http://acequest.notlong.com If Al Qaeda was such a well-organised terror group, it’s supposed to have numerous cells on the soil of its foremost enemy, the United States- There has never been a single domestic terror cell captured since Bush has been in office! Also most of the terror suspects the U.S. arrested in the immediate aftermath of Sep. 11 attacks haven’t been charged with crimes in anyway associated with terrorism. "Al Qaeda", if it really existed to anywhere near the extent that we have been told then there would have been another attack on the U.S. But unfortunately, the information we receive comes from two sides that both have great benefit in exaggerating Al Qaeda threat: tapes by the group’s members and the military and intelligence agencies that have great interest in maintaining the facade of an extremely dangerous terror cell. Extracts from the article.

Deleted. Wrong Forum

theloniusfleabag: Not qtuie the Smae. Trehe are two dniefreft smyetss, Why saipol a good srpot. It wloud be innittesreg to see how far it wloud go. I am unsig the fsrit and lsat. The EU seytsm is mree ceolmpx, and natrual. Dgruan

Alcltauy Mrak Tiwan hled smoe vwies on Tihs scuebjt Durgan

This subject is not really Provincial Politics, but to the English Speaking members it has some relevancy. Durgan. October. 15, 2005 01:00 AM The Toronto Star. The European Commission has announced English will become the official language of the EU, rather than German, the other front-runner. Whilst this may initially be regarded as good news for Britain, and the English-speaking world in general, there is a dark underlying aspect that Tony Blair's government is endeavouring to keep hush-hush. As part of the negotiations, the government conceded that, with the rise of text messaging and emailing, spelling the Queen's English correctly had become of low importance. Before this trend really takes hold, steps need to be taken to re-educate the masses. So, in accordance with a Brussels ruling, a five-year phase-in plan is to be implemented that would produce an English language variant called "EuroEnglish." In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c." Sertainly this will make the sivil servants jump for joy. The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of the "k." This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter. There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the second year, when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced by the "f". This will make words like "fotograf" 20 per cent shorter. In the third year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expected to reach the stage where more komplikated changes will be possible. Governments will enkorage the removal of double letters, which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling. Also, al wil agre that the horrible mes of the silent "e"s in the language is disgraseful, and, it needs to be eradikated. By the fourth year, people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v." During ze fifz year, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords containing "ou" and similar changes vud of kors be aplid to ozer kombinations of leters. After zis fifz year, ve vil hav a realy sensibl riten styl. Zer wil be no mor trubls or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi to understand each ozer. Ze drem vil finali kum tru.

Hide the evidence,deny the facts,use opinions based on nothing, shoot the messenger is what I see in this forum. There are all kinds of references (opinions) referring to teachers salaries. If anybody has experiences of just what the pay rates are in various boards let's have them to help clear the air. Education in the public schools system is a shambles. Fact, about 30,000 about 30% of the students drop out yearly. Ontario is applying another fix (King Report). This is a fix to the fix to the fix. Strong meaningful debate with opinions indeed, but let's start by defining the facts. If its a miracle any opinion will suffice, if its a fact then evidence is required. Durgan.

The cost of nuclear-generated electricity fell by 7% from 1998 to 2001 and is now about EUR 3 cents/kWh, which is very competitive in Europe. This is about 4 cents Canadian per kWh. This has been extracted from two posts above yours for your convenience. Sort of all on one page. Durgan

Nuclear fuel is more than sufficient for the long term. Supply of Uranium Facts http://banquish.notlong.com Nuclear energy is, in many places, competitive with fossil fuel for electricity generation, despite relatively high capital costs and the need to internalize all waste disposal and decommissioning costs. If the social, health and environmental costs of fossil fuels are also taken into account, nuclear is outstanding. The doomsayers had better complete their backyard, underground shelters, maybe refurbish the old one's left over from the cold war, because there are many Nuclear plants throughout the world. The inevitable accident referred too in a previous post just might affect the whole world. Apparently our leaders consider the benefits well worth the risk. Ontario's huge electrical generating debt can be attributed to ignorance, stupidy, incompetence of the Nuclear Generation Project. This financial disaster took place under the auspices of all political parties. Atomic Energy has exported reactors to Romania, India and South Korea (?) with generous financial asistance from the Federal Government. None of the more advance industrial countries have purchased a CANDU reactor. It is often mentioned that India used the Canadian Reactor to obtain quality uranium to make their first atomic bomb (?). Canadian propaganda is strong regarding the merits of the CANDU, yet the two plants in Ontario have used money faster than the mint can print it. I have no idea how CANDU reactors can be exported and yet the two plants in Ontario don't work without unending breakdowns and maintenance. If the two plants are not CANDU's, Then the next question Why were they not CANDU's with all its attributed virtues? The whole Nuclear program in Ontario has always been an enigma to me. From studing the success of reactors in France and Japan, it appears to me our governments should contract out any new construction to both or one of these countries. Yes, I hate to admit it, but from the evidence Canadian built reactors or Canadian workmanship is sadly wanting in this area. Regardless, more reactors will have to be built to meet the constantly rising demand for electricity, in spite of a recent CBC interview by Hampton (NDP) that all our needs can be met by more home insulation,etc. That little bit was added as a dig at the NDP to indicate just how uninformed the politicians are regarding electrical generation, Ontario in particular. Durgan.

We all live in the world. Nuclear doesn't seem to concern the French in France too much. It was a case of Nuclear or flickering lights. or no lights amongst other problems. France has 59 nuclear reactors operated by Electricite de France (EdF) with total capacity of over 63 GWe, supplying over 426 billion kWh per year of electricity, 78% of the total generated there. Annual electricity consumption is 7700 kWh per person. The present situation is due to the French government deciding in 1974, just after the first oil shock, to expand rapidly the country's nuclear power capacity. This decision was taken in the context of France having substantial heavy engineering expertise but few indigenous energy resources. Nuclear energy, with the fuel cost being a relatively small part of the overall cost, made good sense in minimizing imports and achieving greater energy security. As a result of the 1974 decision, France now claims a substantial level of energy independence and almost the lowest cost electricity in Europe. Over 90% of its electricity is nuclear or hydro. The cost of nuclear-generated electricity fell by 7% from 1998 to 2001 and is now about EUR 3 cents/kWh, which is very competitive in Europe. This is about 4 cents Canadian per kWh. Durgan.

Boy! All that babble over a product that is totally useless. Just think of the possibilities if we were talking about "Drug" Stores. Pay in a capitalistic society is decided by the fact that one has a hook. What is a hook? Suppose you are in a dental chair and the dentist has a syringe in his hand with a needle about the size of a wooden match. He says. "This won't hurt". You reach out and get a handful of his scrotum and say, " It had better not'. Now that is a hook. The hooks. Skills that are limited in demand and you are the man of the hour. Unions that protect your ass. Professional association that protect your ass. Government jobs because nobody rocks the boat. Many have nothing to do including you so don't point the finger. Anybody like to add to the list? Durgan.

Hot off the press. Headline in the Toronto Star today. Ontario to okay re-opening of reactors: sources Oct. 13, 2005. 05:40 PM The Globe Story. By KAREN HOWLETT AND ALLISON DUNFIELD Thursday, October 13, 2005 Posted at 5:24 PM EDT Globe and Mail Update The Ontario government is poised to go ahead with the multi-billion dollar refurbishment of two nuclear reactors, according to New Democrat Leader Howard Hampton. Mr. Hampton said sources have told him that the government intends to announce tomorrow that it will proceed with the multi-billion dollar refurbishment of the Bruce reactors. He said an announcement should be made in the legislature, following a public debate. "I think before the province goes down the nuclear road again, there needs to be a full debate across the province," Mr. Hampton told reporters Thursday, following Question Period. He said the reason the province has hydroelectric debts exceeding $20-billion is largely because of cost overruns associated with the old nuclear plants. However, Premier Dalton McGuinty would not confirm during Question Period on Thursday when the announcement, which had been the subject of rumours all day, would be coming. The Liberals first announced on March 21 that it had reached a tentative deal to refurbish units 1 and 2 at Bruce. Mr. McGuinty did admit Thursday that the province lacks an adequate supply of electricity. "We are doing everything we can to ensure an adequate supply. It's no secret we have been in negotiations with Bruce Power." It will cost Bruce Power, which runs the station, "well more" than $2-billion for the restart, one source told Canadian Press. The government reached a tentative agreement in March with a provincial negotiator for the potential restart of two laid-up units at its nuclear generating station near Tiverton, Ont., the company says. The potential restart of Units 1 and 2, which have been shut down since the mid-1990s, would return another 1,500 million watts of electricity to Ontario — enough to meet the annual needs of one million homes, or about 10 per cent of the province's market. The proposed deal had been under consideration by the energy department. Donna Cansfield, the province's new energy minister, told reporters Thursday she does not know when the Bruce agreement will be done, "but it will be done shortly." She said Bruce is now in the process of completing its due diligence review of the reactors. The final startup of the reactors will require approval from federal regulators. The startup of the two units would mean all eight reactors at Bruce's nuclear station would be operational, Bruce Power CEO Duncan Hawthorne said in an interview with The Globe and Mail earlier this year. "Obviously it's a significant step forward Durgan.

This is an E mail from a retired teacher friend, who supply teaches periodically, received today, 13 Sep 2005. I won't mention the board, but I am sure many Supply Teachers can identify with this scenario. I know from experience how academia is mistreated. Not only are those who teach get low wages, but I have been substitute teaching. I get paid $60/day, which is $5/hour---less than min. wage. I am expected to do the same work as a teacher (classroom control, follow lessons, leave detailed review of materials taught and student behavior, record tardiness and missing students, etc.). I could go flip burgers and get paid $7/hour, but being a community caring person, I give up the $2 to serve my community. Durgan.

In the 1890s people thought that cars would make cities less polluted because they would eliminate the horse crap that filled the streets at the time. I see a paralell with nuclear energy: we are just changing the type of pollution not eliminating it. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yoou can't imagine the horse shit pollution that existed in the cities in the 1890's. The traffic jams were a sight to behold. Just imagine a city with horse drawn vehicles today. Most people complain about dog shit. Magnify that by thousands or even millions. The automobile was a godsend. Hey, maybe there is a God. Admittably the gas driven automobile will have to be replaced soon. This probably means an electric car or Hydrogen driven car. But both need electricity. The fuel cell uses hydrogen produced from electricity. The electric car needs electricity to charge the batteries. Electricity drives the technology of today. How to produce it in sufficient quantities to meet our needs, and with minimium air pollution with todays technology is the solution sought. No primary source is without problems. It is a matter of selection from the choices available. More than likely a Political decision. Durgan.

Your figures are totally untrue and misleading. Politicians shoot from the hip. The Premier of Ontario, McGinty, will have to make a decision regarding this issue and soon. Eighty percent of the generating capacity in Ontario will have to be replaced within the next 25 years, and you are the advisor. What is the viable solution, notice the word viable. This is not a thinking matter. It is relatively urgent and action must be taken. I don't think it will work is not sufficient. What will work? One small nuclear reactor such as at Pickering produces 250 MW. They have eight reactors for a total output of 2000 MW. These are round figures. The output is sufficient for a city of 2 million. A good working figure is one small reactor will produce sufficient electricity for 250K people even in our wasteful society. This works out to 32 small reactors for all of Ontario. Assume at least 8 reactors at each plant. This means if all of Ontario went nuclear four plants would be adequate. Also, Don't forget Pidckering is an old style plant. There has been and will be improvements in the design. Uranium is available in more than suficient quantities for the foreseeable future without new technology coming onboard. Here is the URL for the information. http://banquish.notlong.com Durgan.

Nuclear Power Generation NOW. Burning fossil fuels as a primary source for the energy we use is the main cause of world air pollution. Heat produced by burning the fossil fuel is manipulated to produce the desired product, which in turn may be converted into another energy form and so on. A primary example is burning a fossil fuel to produce heat, to produce steam, to mechanically drive an engine to turn a dynamo, to produce electricity. The electricity in turn is transmitted to various locations to operate the myriad of devices used in our modern society. The final use may not produce pollution, but the initial burning of the fossil fuel cases massive air pollution in the world, simply due to the quantities burned. Many people are of the opinion that the electric car is non-polluting, indeed it is, but the electricity for charging the bank of batteries required to drive the vehicle comes from burning fossil fuels. The pollution is still there, and may even be greater, (due to losses when converting from one form of energy to another) than that produced by the fuel used to drive a typical gas driven automobile of equivalent size and power. All that has been accomplished by electric car use is the pollution has been created in an area usually far away, and not in the user’s immediate vicinity. The net reduction in pollution is zero. Note: Direct burning of hydrogen is basically air pollution free, but electricity is required to produce the hydrogen in any quantity; therefore use the hydrogen fuel cell is not pollution free. World reserves of fossil fuels are massive, and will probably be available for many years at our current or projected consumption. A few examples are coal, oil and natural gas. Oil reserves, the one of which is used the most, are declining. Not so subtle wars are being fought over access to these reserves at the present time. Electricity is one of the most sought after forms of energy. Its use drives the engines of the industrialized world. Many areas of North America have experienced electrical power outages, and users have suffered the adverse effects first hand. These effects are shattering, and are a clear indication of what might happen if the supply of electricity fails due to lack of generating capacity. One might ask, so what? Let’s just build more fossil fueled plants and let life continue, after all there is plenty of fossil fuel available. But, and this is the big but, the burning of fossil fuels causes massive world air pollution. The world cannot withstand this polluting onslaught indefinitely. There are many indicators that the world is approaching a crisis situation e.g., ozone layer depletion, ice cap melting, and ocean warming to mention a few. Clearly, the current level of burning fossil fuels must be reduced. Many people will suggest conservation, which should be practiced, but this is alone is not sufficient. Pollution free generation of electricity is probably the solution to reducing the massive pollution caused by burning fossil fuels. There are band- aid attempts to produce pollution free electricity. Examples are hydro and wind power. Almost all the world’s water power energy has been developed; further, hydro development causes much environmental damage, indicating that is not really the pollution free source many believe. Wind power is simply not sufficient to meet the demand. As far as is known it is pollution free, as pollution is generally defined today. Wind power is not 100% reliable. If the winds stops the ice-cream melts. We are left with considering the only realistic source for producing electricity in the quantities required to meet the demand. This is Nuclear Power Generation of electricity. Nuclear power use is not pollution free. It has its dangers, which are well known; an example, Chernobyl (Ukraine) and Three Mile Island (USA). Nuclear power will have to be used more extensively in the immediate future beyond any doubt. Its use has risks that have to be balanced against the massive air pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels. Nuclear power does not cause air pollution, the main concern, unless an unforeseen accident occurs. Clearly fossil fuel burning has to be reduced. The continued use of fossil fuels will lead to disaster; some of the adverse effects are being felt today. Nuclear power production leaves behind a nasty by-product, radioactive waste, the disposal of which is the cause of much controversy. The final depository of this waste product will probably be in pre-Cambrian rock formations, with safeguards dictated by the technology of the day. This will eventually be a political decision. This will take political will. Concurrent with getting nuclear power generation of electricity on-line for the immediate and moderate future a massive effort should be undertaken to research and develop other fuels. Solar and hydrogen appear to be two promising areas. This will take large amounts of money and political decision making. Government will have to promote the research in these areas to a large degree. There are other, lesser known sources of primary energy, where research funds should be allocated. Summary: Production of air pollution free electricity using nuclear energy is an immediate necessity. More nuclear plant construction should be started forthwith, incorporating the latest technology. The ultimate objective is the elimination of fossil fuel generating plants. Once this electricity is on-line in sufficient quantities; the electric automobile powered by hydrogen fuel cells or batteries will eventually replace the fossil fuel engines. Failure to act, or waiting too long to act, invites misery and major disruption in the industrialized world, and the world at large. Durgan

Sounds a bit like the policies of the Social Credit Party from about 1935 1968. It was sharing the wealth. I don't suppose anybody remembers the funny money of the Social Credit. Alberta grew tremendously under the guidence of the Social Credit Party. Maybe the Baptist's had something going for them. Of course, the depression probably helped to some degree. Anything was bettter than what they had during the 1930's. Fortunately the WWII came along and suddenly money was available. Full employment and prosperity all around. You figure. A little bit like buying your vote. There are probably other ways to use the money more appropiately. Most people will not complain about a handout even if it is some of their own money. Nice political move on Klein's part. Martin are you listening? As an aside, what ever happened to the five or so billion Heritage Fund 1970- 1980) that Alberta set aside for use in hard times? Durgan.

Teaching has to be amongst the most miserable jobs in our society. Granted there are alehsos in the business, but this is true of all professions. Many teachers actually believe they can make a difference. Many teachers are almost a dedicated as any wild eyed missionary trying to change the sex habits of happy natives. People have mediocre children and expect the teacher to turn them into highly motivated, bright graduates. How many parents read to your small children? How many check the children’s homework? How many make sure they are physically fit, and have some daily exercise? How many insure their children study several hours every night? How many of you parents let little Johnny and little Mary play games on the computer, or use the worst invention on the internet MSN, when they should be studying? It is easier and convenient to leave all to the school teachers. The bright children get through because of, or in spite of teachers. Parents with dumb or average children cannot expect the teacher to accomplish miracles without strong parental effort. A disruptive child not only causes anxiety to the teacher, but destroys teaching time for other children. Parents, tax payers, will not supply the necessary funds for school supplies. Many schools have copy restrictions, if they have a copy machines that works. Most of the outdated computers in grade schools don’t function, and there is usually no realistic technical support. The working computers become toys to play games, a habit carried to school from home. Often schools have inadequate cleaning services. I only mention a few as examples. there are no doubt other concerns. Any public education system is a dreadful way to teach a child, but until some other system comes along you have to make the best of it. Some people with the means hire private tutors or private schools, again with inconsistent results. This is a route if you can afford it. In the mean time support the teachers. If you have not walked the walk, quit yipping and support the teachers. They have a hell of a row to hoe. Homework is necessary and is a parental responsibility. Any person, who thinks a teacher can impart all that is required during school hours, is not being realistic. A teacher can at most guide, the student should learn most out of the classroom by personal study. Sorry folks that is reality. Lunch breaks, teachers need lunch breaks far more than kids. Pay the money and hire lunch part-time supervisors and quit complaining. All normal adults protect children by instinct, even teachers. Teachers cannot be everywhere at the same time. Yes, kids do and will get hurt at school. Children have been protected so much, that most school grounds don’t have structures to play on. They have been removed. About all teachers can do have the kids run around a track during recess. Actually not a bad idea when you think of it. A good vigorous two mile run daily would be very beneficial. Teachers sometimes suggest that a disruptive child needs to be put on Ritalin. Ritalin at last! You the parent send a rude, nasty, undisciplined child to school and expect the teacher to control IT. The kid is often pumped up with a load of sugar due to poor diet. There are hyper-active children, and instead of proper parenting, the expedient is the administration of Ritalin. Some children are totally out of control, sugar induced highs, and lousy parental discipline is often the issue. If the system was private, and you, the parent, were paying directly, the school would probably throw your child out. In many cases no self respecting school would take your child at any price. Public school teachers have to put up with one or two children disrupting the other 15 to 30 children in the class daily. The Pharmaceutical Companies have come up with Ritalin. Doctors subscribe it- not teachers. Peace in the classroom prevails. It is the chemical equivalent of the now condemned lobotomy (surgical severance of nerve fibers connecting the frontal lobes to the thalamus for the relief of some mental disorders). A disruptive child needs all kind of inputs mostly parental, and a small bit from the teacher. You as a parent have a duty to send a properly fed, well mannered, well disciplined, child to school daily-get with it and quit blaming and trying to hold the teacher responsible for your short comings. Professional Development Day! Teachers are in no way the same or even similar to Police, Doctors, Ambulance attendants, or Nurses. Yes, they work for public institutions, but a teacher’s role is not in anyway an immediate threat to life. I suspect PDD’s mean the lack of a baby sitting service, when the school is not open, when you, the parent, want to work or whatever. Teachers are not baby sitters. This fight has been going on for years. If you want a baby sitting service at school pay the money, and hire a service to monitor your child on school property until you get home and hour or two later. Again, teachers are not and should not be used as baby sitters. What teachers do on PDD is between the board and the teachers. I strongly suggest they need a break no matter what they do. When the weather is bad and school buses are cancelled, teachers are still supposed to get to school even at risk to their lives. This is patently unfair. Usually the school is kept open for children near the school. The schools become a blatant baby sitting service, since the working parent will often drop Little Johnny and Sweet Mary off. It is most convenient and expedient. Again, school teachers are not supervisors for a baby sitting service. Parents want this service, pay for it and organize it. Baby sitting should be completely separate from teaching. This area has not been fully addressed in a society where often both parents work. The baby sitting problem has been dumped on the teachers causing much bitterness and incrimination. The mentally handicapped are often main- streamed into the classroom. A screaming, cackle constantly in one corner of the classroom is not inductive to the imparting of knowledge. Many of the handicapped should not be in the main-stream classroom. Many should be in separate, well run areas. Sorry folks that is reality. The parents of normal children should be screaming bloody murder about this practice of main-streaming everyone, suitable or not. How the hell a teacher can do the job and kids absorb, with a constant interruptive presence in one area of the classroom is beyond comprehension. Sometimes there is a disruptive noisy medley meaning there will be more than one disruptive presence. Tough call, but in many cases they should not be in the main-stream. Most teachers are overworked. The sheer volume associated with grading, which in many cases has to be done at home means the equivalent of overtime without pay. The salary paid should be such that teachers do not feel imposed upon by supplying this service or appropiate time should be allotted each day for the teachers to accomplish this task. Teaching is not 9-5 as and most salaried jobs are not, but the pay, perks, time off must be sufficient to reflect this. Salary: I know teachers are paid a portion of their salary based on their educational qualifications. It doesn't matter what level they are teaching. This means in practice, two teachers teaching the same grade in the same school and the same pupils can have very different salaries. This I considered a bit peculiar, but felt the negotiators must have had some obscure reason for this practice, which eludes me. It is very difficult to pay teachers based on performance levels. Actually nobody ever evaluates them in practice. The principals come from the same mold, usually on the last legs of their career, and most only want peace at any cost. Evaluations are, more often than not, based on the number of conflicts a teacher has with parents. This creates a submissive relationship, which hides problems rather than solving them. Money is important to everyone, including teachers. I support increases for teachers, I have enough knowledge to know many are not paid adequately, and a realistic pay scales are non-existent. The only time they get any attention, with reference to pay is when they use their Union clout. The bitter acrimony regarding pay and pay scales needs much discussion and eventually a realistic resolution. Teachers are very important to our society, they need strong community support. A fight every two or so years when a contract expires is simply not the way to go. Every nut, including me gets, in the act; since everybody thinks they know all about education, since we all went to school at one time or another. I say always give the teachers the benefit of the doubt. They need public support. They have a rough row to hoe ( for the rural folk). Durgan.

I am not intirely convinced the various Religious Courts in quotations should have ben abolished. They do or did have some merit. This I arrived at after sober second thought. Anything would be an improvement over the Family Law Act. Most people are unaware of the glaring inequities in the Family Law Act, unless they have been through a divorce, particulaty a second marriage divorce. Maybe the McGinty Government was too hasty in not accepting Sharia Law with conditions, such as review by the Courts of any ageement arrived at. Few settlements are undertaken by religious laws as mentioned in some previous post. Just maybe the whole issue is a tempest in a tea pot. Probably my post is more an attempt to try to bring focus on the inequitious Family Law Act, and this muddles my view towards thinking that religious courts might just be an improvement, unless the Family Law Act is revised and re-writtien in certain sections, particulay property division areas. Durgan.

"Teachers are expected to reach unattainable goals with inadequate tools. The miracle is that at times they accomplish this impossible task." Quote of Haim G. Ginott, Israeli born American child psychologist. Teacher's are expected to be all things to all people, primarily baby sitters in the nuclear family environment. Imparting of knowledge becomes secondary. Pay them generously and give much Public Support. They need it and more. Durgan.