Politics Before Friendship

Here’s a photo taken during the days when I stood on the picket line.  I believe this photo was taken in 2005.  It was challenging times then.  We took illegal strike action for two weeks to establish a 5 year contract, a wage increase, and a $3700 signing bonus.  Almost 10 years later, we are in the middle of another teacher strike, but I’m no longer a public school teacher.  I am a school trustee.  This go around is much worse than 2005.  As a first term school trustee, this is my second teacher labour dispute.  This time, it’s bad… really terrible… so awful that my friendships with former colleagues are questioned and contended.  One of my closest friends and former colleague recently unfollowed me on Twitter and unfriended me on Facebook.  Sigh.  In my pedagogical journey, I have always been invested in education, professional learning, and the success of students.  I am saddened by how things have turned out in the teacher labour dispute.  It has definitely become personal.