To the editor:
Re: "As walkout ends, teachers' union says 'every option' on the table," March 7.
Steve Dunbar forgets when he states, "Three days out of their school career shouldn't be problem" to add the 10 teaching days lost in his district to school closures for budget reasons and fails to add the one to two weeks lost in September while principals and staff are making up classes. Nor does he mention the weeks in June when secondary students are not in class. Three days in 12 years is not on consequence-if that were the total.
Likewise, Philip Levy in his letter of this issue is very fortunate to have highly motivated, intelligent children who are receiving a first rate education. It is nearly impossible for a teacher to cover all of the curriculum learning outcomes in any subject when the number of actual teaching days is reduced so drastically.
Student report cards may not reflect the learning shortchange, but unless a student is motivated to study, independently, the text and other assigned materials, he/she will not have accessed, let alone, mastered the subject matter set forth in a curriculum.
Linda Chan, Vancouver
