Update: Students in B.C. walk out of class today

B.C. students are walking out of their classes today, in protest of the ongoing dispute between the BCTF and the provincial government.

Students behind the walkout say they don’t support either side in the dispute. They say each side “claims to be fighting for students,” but fails to show how they are doing so.

More than 13,500 students were signed up yesterday, saying they planned to leave their schools in protest. Many are worried about missing extra-curricular activities and provincial exam preparation.

“The lockout imposed by the Government does not allow us students to go in to see our teachers at recess or lunch to receive help,” reads a statement on the event Facebook page. “Questions about tests or homework must wait until before or after school where we only have forty-five minutes in which to receive help. Teachers have had to turn away students and tell them that they cannot help them because of the lockout.”

Organizers say the plan is for students to walk out beginning at 9 a.m. today and picket outside the school for the entire day. Students are being discouraged from simply skipping class for the day.

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Today is the only day this week the BCTF is not holding rotating strikes in B.C.  Those strikes will resume Thursday and a full schedule can be found here.

The BCTF and the province returned to the bargaining table yesterday, after several days off.

Global News Legislative Bureau Chief Keith Baldrey says there was movement today in regards to wages — and it was in the government’s favour.

The BCTF reportedly agreed to knock one percentage point off their proposed wage and benefit demands of 13.4 per cent over four years.

In addition, they also agreed to downscale their cost-of-living adjustment to less than two per cent per year, down from 14 per cent over four years.

There was no talk of class size and composition at the bargaining table today.

Today, the B.C. Labour Relations Board will issue its decision on whether or not the government’s 10 per cut wage cut to teachers is legal.

PHOTO GALLERY: Student walkout at Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary in Surrey