Work-to-rule raises questions about student supervision

CTV Atlantic: Work-to-rule raises questions about student supervision With teachers set to begin work-to-rule next week, there are questions about how it will impact student supervision. Sarah Ritchie has more.

With work-to-rule set to begin next week, schoolboards and the Nova Scotia government seem to be scrambling to ensure students will be supervised before and after school.

On Monday morning, Nova Scotia teachers will arrive at school, just 20 minutes before the first bell.

What’s unclear today is how many students will already be there.

Today, Nova Scotia’s education minister says principals who don’t provide supervision may not be fulfilling their duties under the education act.

“That’s a major concern for us, we’re seeking information from all of the school boards now with respect to when buses arrive, when teachers will be doing their supervision,” says Education Minister Karen Casey.

The Halifax Regional School Board is changing its bus schedules to ensure arrivals happen within the 20 minute timeline.

In a memo to parents, the schoolboard says school doors will be locked before then, and parents shouldn’t drop children off early.

The education department is still gathering information from other boards.

“We recognize based on preliminary numbers that we’re getting, that there are some schools where buses arrive prior to the 20 minutes,” says Casey.

The minister says she doesn’t know how many boards have already hired supervisors, or whether some will require extra funding.

The president of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union wasn’t available for an interview Thursday, but did say Tuesday, teachers aren’t contractually obligated to supervise students before and after school.

“They will be arriving 20 minutes before the bell, and if students are arriving before that, then the school boards and the department will have to make sure that they are safe,” said Liette Doucet during an interview with CTV anchor Steve Murphy.

The union says student safety has always been up to the boards.

Minister Casey says principals are legally responsible for ensuring safety at school, and not providing supervision could go against the education act.

“We now know that the work-to-rule has perhaps gone beyond that, to a withdrawal of services,” said Casey.

The opposition, meanwhile, is calling for the two sides to try to work it out.

“When there’s so much at stake- the school year, Christmas concerts, practicums for teachers in training, what’s the reason not to try?” says opposition Progressive Conservative leader Jamie Baillie.

But as of today, there are no plans for negotiations of any kind.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Sarah Ritchie.