Volume 43 • Issue 4 •June 2021 President’s Address hundred years and start over? Does this mean that everything Inside this issue that has been done over the last 1 century has been wrong? Cer- President’s Message tainly not! OSSTF has grown and changed throughout our his- 3 tory to meet the needs of our in- What is so “troublesome” about creasingly diverse membership, Critical Race Theory by Ann Bartok- and this is something that we Venetis must continue to do, both locally 4 and provincially. Retiree tributes To those members that claim Andrew Sobolewski, President OSSTF 9 District 19 - Peel Teachers’ Bargaining that OSSTF has done nothing The Ally as a Voice for the Voiceless Unit, 2019-2021 for them, I could point to a myr- by Doreen Nicholl iad of examples from OSSTF’s y father was a factory past, but I will focus on a very re- 11 worker for 35 years. cent and very public example that Award Winners One of the most im- demonstrates our strength when 12 Mportant things he taught me we stand together. At the start of The “Graduating” classes of 2020 was that there is strength in the the 2019-2020 school year, our and 2021 union, because the members give employer predicted that approxi- it strength. Together, we have mately 500 full-time secondary 15 opportunity. We have strength. teaching positions would be lost Updates And we have power. These words in Peel alone due to the pro- may seem familiar to you. This is posed Conservative Government part of what I wrote in my Oc- cuts. Initially, 193 Peel second- tober 2019 Appeel article, and it ary teachers received pink slips is just as true today. and were informed that their jobs would be cut prior to the 2019- This, however, does not mean 2020 school year. But together, that OSSTF is perfect. No or- with unified mind and purpose, ganization is. We have internal we made change happen. OSSTF issues that must be addressed - led a campaign to draw attention that is the state that any group, to the ridiculous path the Con- company, or organization are servative Government had put perpetually in. It is quite true Ontario on. And it worked. Not to say that the only constant is only were the vast majority of change, and OSSTF is no dif- these cuts (continued on page 2) ferent. We are made up of over 60000 members from numerous job classes working for a variety of employers. As our member- ship, employers, job classes, and society change, OSSTF must as well. But does this mean that we should cast aside the last one (Continued from page 1) clips. This is when the strength Unfortunately, COVID-19 2 of the population becomes was the biggest wrench that critically important. Dare to could have been thrown into reversed, but Peel placed all know! Have courage to use an already over worked engine. 193 teachers back into perma- your own reason! For you non- And we’re still living through nent full-time positions and history types, this is all Im- it. As I write this, there ap- hired additional permanent manuel Kant. And I would ar- pears to be a light at the end teachers as well. Without gue that this is phenomenally of the tunnel. Vaccinations the strength of the members, more applicable today than it are moving us back towards a without the strength of OSS- ever was in the 18th century. more normal life and we are TF, this would not have been almost finished the most chal- possible. This is exactly what The strength of any organi- lenging school year on record. my father was talking about. zation comes from the mem- Please, don’t neglect your own Together, we have opportuni- bers. Which means that the needs. Take care of yourself. ty. We have strength. And we onus and responsibility is on Make your health, happiness, have power. While one voice you, the members, to ask ques- and personal well-being your may be ignored, over 60000 tions, to scrutinize ideas, and top priority. Laugh and take cannot. to carefully listen to what is joy when you can. Take stock and is not being said by any- of what is most important in one at a podium. In short, to your life. “Together, we have be involved. And you must be opportunity. We involved, because the fight to have strength. And protect public eduction is not “Vaccinations are over. Our collective agreement moving us back we have power.” expires in August 2022, and there will also be a Provincial towards a more Every organization that has election. In the words of Ralph ever existed has had detrac- Nader, “If you’re not turned normal life” tors - both internal and exter- onto politics, politics will turn nal. OSSTF has gone through on you.” Pay attention. Open Since this is my final ad- this, and will most likely con- your eyes. Be aware. Be in- dress to the membership as tinue to go through this in volved. We’ve been through President, I would like to thank years to come. The difference this several times before, and the amazing people that I have today (and in the future) is we have always stepped up to worked with: Meaghan Ulla, the ease with which anyone the challenge. It won’t be easy. Toni Pellegrino, Mary Lu- can spread rumours, inaccu- It will be a marathon. But to- ciani, Kim Yamada, Dave Rus- rate information, and flat-out gether, we can again succeed. sell, Mary Arseneau, Michelle lies through social media, with Large, Mike Bettiol, Desiree little to no consequences. Francis, Terry Murphy, Lori In some cases it is these “The onus and Foote, Suzette Clarke, An- very lies, these false accusa- gela Sintzel, Bill Shaw, Alice tions and assertions; this bile responsibility is on Kong, Eleni Papaiconomou, that is spat out 140 characters you, the members, Dan Earle, Harvey Bischof, at a time, that results in seed- Paul Elliot, Martha Hradowy, ing doubt, discontent, and di- to ask questions, to Cindy Dube, the numerous vision within the population. scrutinize ideas, and Branch Presidents that have They rely on apathy, laziness, confided in me and I in them, cowardice, and fear to set to carefully listen to and once again Dave Russell. themselves up as guardians. what is and is not But above all, my lovely wife, Multi-faceted and complex Sandra. Your help and support situations should never be de- being said by anyone was always greatly appreciated, cided through sound bites and at a podium.” and will never be forgotten. What is so “troublesome” ments that students study the 3 about Critical Race writings or stories of multiple women and people of color Theory? and places an outright ban on Ann Bartok-Venetis, Cawthra Park any teaching of the 1619 Proj- ect. The passage of these laws ccasionally, I make my- would make it challenging for self watch Fox News. teachers to talk about issues Not because they have like Jim Crow, Civil Rights anything important to say, but in the 1960s, and Black Lives becauseO too many people listen Matter. to what they broadcast without I know what you are think- considering what evidence has These two textbooks are just some of been used to support opinions. ing – why is she writing about the ones being used by Faculties of Lately, they have had so much to something happening in Tex- Education. say about critical race theory be- as? Ontario’s Conservative gov- ing “trouble” and why it has no ernment has taken too many place in schools. Texas is one of the six major bad ideas from our southern textbook markets in the Unit- neighbours. Banning CRT Interviews on Fox News feature ed States. Their curriculum because it is “trouble” is a knee- parents stating that they do not influences the curricula and jerk reaction made by people understand why their children the textbook choices of the who are too scared to edu- are exposed to the “damaging states that surround it. Since cate our students beyond the or self-demoralizing” of CRT. the 1970s, most of the Secre- memorization of facts. Teach- They share the common fear taries of Education (equivalent ing students to think criti- that children who learn to con- to our Minister of Education) cally and to use theories like sider other’s points of view and have been priviledged and CRT is the only way to keep who question and analyze facts conservative white men. They them from believing the myth will turn into Marxists or Com- have embraced ideas like char- that those born into privilege munists ter schools, e-learning, com- have achieved success on their mon core curricula, and stan- own. We must teach students Critical Race Theory in educa- dardized testing. Ideas that to gather and analyze infor- tion is not a left-wing theory have now become accepted in mation, to ask questions, and whose purpose is to destroy so- the Texas and have gained a to understand that change, ciety. Instead, it is an intellectu- foothold among conservatives though sometimes painful, is ally rigorous theory whose pur- in Canada. good trouble. pose is to make the curriculum less Eurocentric and to change teaching and grading practic- es, so they are more equitable. CRT seeks to affirm students’ ethnic and racial background. The Texas legislature is consid- ering a bill which places severe limits on how teachers can talk about current events and Ameri- ca’s racist past.