Teachers to Protest education Cuts at NDP MLAs' Offices

HALIFAX, April 20, 2012 /CNW/ - Teachers will be protesting outside the offices of NDP MLAs Friday, April 20.

"Teachers have had it with the everyday reality of the education cuts already in place. They want to send a strong message to their elected representatives to reconsider the cuts in the 2012 budget," says Alexis Allen, president of the NSTU.

By the time students go back to school in September, more than $65 million will have been removed from the education budget. In addition to the number of teaching positions cut last year because of declining enrollment (128) an additional 205 teaching positions were lost within the province. This year roughly one-third of the teaching positions expected to be lost will be because of declining enrollment, while the rest are due to the cuts imposed by this government.

This will result in larger class sizes and less individual attention for students. From Cape Breton to Bridgewater, teachers will gather at the NDP offices as soon as school finishes Friday. Each protest will have a designated spokesperson from the area who will be able to speak to the media. Parents, members of CUPE and SIEU and concerned community members are also expected to attend.

"These are the people on the front lines of this assault on education. They are fed up with the NDP government's attack on our children and want to have their voice heard," says Allen.

Below is a list of addresses and times of the rallies.

NEW MINAS - 4:15 Ramona Jennex, 8985 Commercial Street, Suite 2, New Minas,
TRURO - 3:30 Lenore Zann, Suite 212, 35 Commercial Street, Truro
ENFIELD - 3:30 John MacDonell, 202 Highway #2, Unit 5, Enfield
AMHERST - 3:45 Brian Skabar 30 1/2 Church Street, Amherst
BRIDGEWATER - 3:15 Gary Ramey, 410 King Street, Bridgewater
BARRINGTON PASSAGE - 3:00 Sterling Belliveau, Parson's Mall, Unit 9, 3640 Highway 3
NEW WATERFORD - 4:45  Frank Corbett, 3397 Plummer Ave
ANTIGONISH - 3:30 Maurice Smith, 275 Main Street, Suite 102
NEW GLASGOW - 3:45 Ross Landry, 115 MacLean St,
HRM - 3:30
DARTMOUTH - Darrell Dexter - 971 Cole Harbour Rd., Cole Harbour 
HALIFAX - Graham Steele - 7105 Chebucto Rd., Halifax
HALIFAX - Howard Epstein - 6009 Quinpool Rd., Halifax
WINDSOR JUNCTION - Percy Paris - 273 Windsor Junction Rd., Windsor Junction
LOWER SACKVILLE - David Wilson - 51 Cobequid Rd., Lower Sackville
MIDDLE SACKVILLE - Mat Whynott - 1651 Sackville Dr. Middle Sackville
LAKESIDE - Bill Estabrooks - 1492 St. Margaret's Bay Rd., Lakeside
MUSQUODOBOIT HARBOU - Sid Prest - 19 Meaghers Grant Rd,

 

 

Contact: Mary Jane Webber, NSTU Public Relations Coordinator
Telephone: [phone], Cell: 902-497-0194, Email: [email protected].ca