Teachers' union touts Olympics resistance even

[SpongeG]

Teachers' union touts Olympics resistance even


VANCOUVER — A B.C. teachers' association is promoting an event by an anti-Olympics group that urges them to lecture their students about corporate greed, exploitation, misuse of public funds and environmental degradation.


The Vancouver Elementary School Teachers' Association is promoting an October event called Teaching 2010 Resistance.


The event is organized by the Olympic Resistance Network and Teach 2010, a website that encourages teachers to share resources critical of the Vancouver Games.


The organizations argue the Olympics is more than a sporting event.


"The Olympics are not about the human spirit and have little to do with athletic excellence," the Olympic Resistance Network says on its website. "They are a multibillion-dollar industry backed by real estate, construction, hotel, tourism and media corporations, and powerful elites working hand in hand with government officials and the International Olympic Committee."


Teachers' association past president Glen Hansman said his union isn't affiliated with the ORN and hasn't taken a position on the Olympics, but agreed to advertise the event knowing that teachers have been involved in developing some of the resources.


He said the workshop will be an opportunity for teachers to discuss the Olympics from a different perspective — considering issues such as homelessness, poverty and the government's decision to spend $500,000 on its 2010 curriculum while also cutting grants for arts groups, school sports programs and school districts.


"I'm glad that there's a group of teachers and community activists who are trying to come up with some (additional) materials that might be useful in a classroom setting," he said in an interview Wednesday.


Hansman said teachers have mixed views about the Olympics.


"Some are very keen on the Olympics being here and the educational opportunities that will create. We have other members who are really concerned about the Olympics . . . and will use this as an educational experience to do some of the critical thinking."


The BC Teachers' Federation has not taken a position on the Games.


Unlike its Vancouver local, the BCTF is not promoting the protester workshop, a spokesman said.

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/2...285/story.html

[mr.x]

Anything to go against Campbell, right?

[eternallyme]

The rhetoric of teachers unions these days make public schools look like indoctrination centres. I would push for more private or homeschool options...

[Yume-sama]

If it's not in the textbooks, the teachers have no business "teaching" their personal viewpoints to the kids. If they do, they should be fired (which, as we know, is not possible when you're part of this union).

This goes both ways. Keep this out of the classroom.

[Stingray2004]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

VANCOUVER — A B.C. teachers' association is promoting an event by an anti-Olympics group that urges them to lecture their students about corporate greed, exploitation, misuse of public funds and environmental degradation.

The event is organized by the Olympic Resistance Network...

Let's see, the Olympic Resistance Network...

is largely being done under the primary slogan and understanding of “No Olympics on Stolen Native Land”, although this is an opportunity for a large convergence of groups, issues, and sectors – anti capitalist, Indigenous, anti poverty, labour, migrant justice, housing, environmental justice, civil libertarian, anti war, and anti colonial - to come together.

http://olympicresistance.net/content/about

Looks like the ORN is also attempting to sabotage the October 30 Olympic Torch Kick-off in Victoria.

http://olympicresistance.net/content...-30-torch-kick

Sounds like a real bunch of winners!

Since these elements represent the left-wing loonies within the NDP, if they attempt to disrupt the Olympics I'm sure that the NDP will be tarred politically with their antics, the NDP will have to wear it, and will be the ultimate losers.

[Rusty Gull]

Hmmm, interesting.

On the other hand, the Vancouver Catholic School Board has actually cancelled all classes during the Games, presumably so that students can attend the events.

[WBC]

ORN and Teachers union vs. The Olympics...Where do I buy tickets to watch that one, because I have the popcorn ready...Can we add some more groups I find entertaining and sad to this? Like Bus drivers union?

[nova9]

I'm a teacher and I can tell you that A LOT of teachers support the Olympics, a lot of us have tickets. The VESTA only represents Elementary school teachers and I hope you all can view it as such. While, the Vancouver School district is not off classes during Olympics - that decision was largely taken out of teacher's hands and we had very little input. It was the Vancouver Board of Education that made the decision to continue with regular classes.