YOU SAID IT: Never been about the kids

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NEVER BEEN ABOUT THE KIDS

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Re: Lecce aims to keep kids in class; Province promises 2 years of labour peace, June 6

When 51 per cent of our education budget is being spent on teachers’ salaries, you know something is wrong. It would be one thing if our kids were coming out of school educated and exceeding provincial standards, but they’re not, so we as taxpayers aren’t getting our money’s worth.

Every time they threaten to go on strike, the unions spout the same mantra: “It’s for our kids.” Seems they have been taking lessons from the Liberals: if you say something loud enough and long enough and make that your talking point, we will believe you. It’s never been about the kids. It’s about teachers’ salaries, their overly generous pensions and their several weeks of holidays.

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Looking at the average salaries they’re making, it’s not like they’re hard done by. If any cuts are to be made, may I suggest they start there? If they truly care, then they wouldn’t have a problem with a pay cut or a freeze. After all, it’s about the children, isn’t it?

There are good teachers out there, but at this point I’d say their unions are the problem. They have become very political and very radical. It’s time for a change.

SANDY JOHNSTON
GREELY

GO, PANTHERS, GO

Go, Panthers, go! Last year, they got to the Stanley Cup final and this year they will hopefully get the silverware. This is a team laden with talent and it deserves the big prize.

The Oilers already have five Lord Stanleys under their belt. Besides, the thought of the team coming together at Parliament Hill to meet Justin Trudeau is stomach-churning.

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STEPHEN FLANAGAN
OTTAWA

SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG?

Is there something seriously wrong with our justice system? Take, for instance, the fact that someone can accuse an individual of something from, say, 40 years in the past, and the name of the accused is flashed all over the news, and they are considered guilty in the court of public opinion.

Even if they are later found innocent, their reputation is ruined, yet the accuser’s name is usually not publicized and there are no consequence, even if they made a false accusation.

PETE MCLELLAN
BROCKVILLE

HAVE YOUR SAY

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