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Students are bearing brunt of dispute

The Editor, Re: "Full-scale strike may be next," the Now, June 12.

As a student, I do support many of the causes the B.C. Teachers' Federation is actively fighting for, such as class composition, availability of resources and classroom support.

However, at the same time, I cannot overlook the ways in which this strike is affecting the students throughout public school systems.

It is common knowledge that the end of the school year is always accompanied with final exam preparation - and in the case of students ranging from the grades of 10 to 12, there was the looming stress of the provincial exams. Late May and early June has been disrupted by rotational strikes and now this potential, imminent full strike.

These additional disruptions do more harm than good as it swipes away the days of preparation for exams. In fact, even for students below Grade 10, exam dates had been preponed to avoid the impending fullstrike posing a threat to the original dates and in doing so, our days of preparation for exams had been cut off even shorter.

As a Grade 9 student, I am awaiting to hear of whether or not the full strike will be averted - but as I continuously monitor the media for any news regarding the outcome of the negotiation, I am also expected to be prepared to write final exams that depend on the fate of this negotiation.

This means that I study regardless of the result of the negotiation as I am utterly left aloof as to the fate of tomorrow.

Which leaves me with the lingering question: if this labour dispute or strike has so many repercussions on the students throughout the province, how can it be said that this is being done in support of the students?

Jasmine Rai

Grade 9 student