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7 Comment(s)

Is everyone now happy?

To The Editor:

Is everyone happy with Education Minister Kelly Lamrock's decision on immersion?

I think it's a disgrace! Mr. Lamrock has called parents like me who have children in immersion elitist and non-Christian, and said that the English program consists of children with learning disabilities who are more likely to come from the poor and divorced families.

How can New Brunswickers on either side sit back and allow themselves to be categorize this way?

Children need encouragement and self-esteem, not to hear themselves referred to as elite or poor; and for parents who are naive enough to believe that they can shelter their children from the comments, if they don't hear it at home or on the radio or news, they will hear it somewhere else.

What Mr. Lamrock and his department is guilty of is creating streaming by their continued ignorance, and now with his comments on the poor and elite he is being allowed to create his own form of segregation. Where is Mr. Shawn Graham that he allows such conduct to continue, and how dare any New Brunswicker not be up in arms about this?

Questions to ask yourselves: Is a Grade 3 immersion entry level good enough? Why wait till 2010 to start the program? What's available for students in the Core English program entering Grade 3 this year? What is available for students in the English program from Kindergarten to Grade 3? Will all schools and children benefit from Mr. Lamrock's plan? When it comes to our children's education do we settle for political comprise?

Whether your child is in the English or French program we must educate ourselves and ask questions on what is available and where it is going to be available.

Lila Johnson,

Penobsquis

Disability issues many

To The Editor:

I am writing to bring some things to your attention about the Eagles concert.

When we arrived, we were directed to the disabled line to get to the parking lot. We drove to the entrance and there were three or four cars in front of us. We waited about 45 minutes and the line behind was growing steadily. When we inquired, we were told that they were waiting for concert-goers on foot to get in and would let us go after. Well, a steady stream of people was going through. I flagged down the man that was security and asked why wouldn't they let traffic alternate, as that would be the most logical. He looked at me and said "do you want to walk?" I was shocked. Unfortunately, I didn't get his name and if I had, I would have reported him. It was a very insensitive remark.

After making numerous phone calls to box office administration connected to the site, we gained entry. Once we got to the wheelchair platform, it was chaos. Whomever designed it couldn't have had a clue what they were doing.

First, it was way too far back. Just because it's high up doesn't make it so you can see, especially since the top of it had a two-by-four board at eye level all around it. It even cut the view half-way off the big video screens. I complained and the answer I got was "it's for safety." That's nonsense. It only would have needed to come down a small amount. Why wouldn't you use plexiglass like at a hockey game?

Do they think all people in wheelchairs are a certain height? Did they even have a number of opinions from wheelchair users? You have to make logical, reasonable allowances for some things.

All you need is a much lower platform, two to three feet high in front of the length of the main stage and much closer so that we can see, and not have the high railing barriers; then have the standing crowd behind.

Initially we were told there were concessions for the disabled. There were none and we would have had to get up the hill to any. As for the platform, it was too small as there were people up there that came up in a chair but walked around once there. It was not "patrolled" very well. Security was useless. They were too busy looking over the crowd and concert to see that people in chairs were trying to get through to go the washrooms etc. My wife actually helped make a path through for some and helped when needed.

The overall wheelchair platform process was useless and many people on there agreed with me, but I want to voice my displeasure with the City of Moncton and organizers.

Also, I lost a navy blue/steel windbreaker type jacket and asked many staff where a lost and found area was and no one had a clue. When leaving, it would have been nice to have lighting to get to cars, as well as for safety concerns for everyone, not just the disabled.

The concert itself was great but the City of Moncton really missed the mark on disability issues and preparation. It certainly put a damper on what was supposed to be a once in a lifetime event.

Roger Lewis,

Saint John

NBCC staff got much less . . .

To The Editor:

Reading the paper in recent weeks has been rather enlightening.

I am a member of the instructional unit of the New Brunswick Union (NBU). This past spring NBU reached and ratified a new collective agreement with the government on behalf of the Community College instructors. At the time NBU stressed this was the best agreement they could obtain on behalf of the instructors.

Now I have read where employees of NB Power may receive a bonus of 25 per cent of their annual wages. Then I read where the government has been giving four-year wage increases from over 11 per cent up to 34 per cent.

I would like to ask Deborah Lacelle, the President of NBU and Tom Mann, executive director of NBU, why did some Community College instructors receive less than a five per cent increase in their new four-year collective agreement? Why did others receive about six per cent spread over four years? Was this the best you could do?

In this newspaper it was stated the general increase for government employees was 10 per cent over four years. NBU couldn't even get the general increase for some of its members. What are you going to do for these members?

I should also mention the new collective agreement lowered the maximum a Community College instructor could earn by about eight per cent. This was done by eliminating the top two salary classifications. Mr. Mann, please tell us how this in the best interest of union members? A union should strive to have members' salaries increase towards the maximum rather than lower the maximum. I am sure that is in an Industrial Relations 101 class.

Please also tell me why NBU does not value education? In the new collective agreement recognition of professional designations has been eliminated. In fact a new employee with a bachelors degree and a professional designation would drop six salary classifications. Why was this done? These professional designations are recognized worldwide.

In addition to eliminating the recognition of professional designations, new employees with a bachelors degree and a masters degree would be classified lower than previously. Why was that done? It sure gives the message NBU does not value education.

Since many of the Community College instructors did not even receive the general wage increase the Government of New Brunswick was giving other employees, perhaps the president and executive-director of NBU should do the honorable thing and resign.

Don Moffatt,

Moncton