After a one-day break, students from across Nova Scotia are officially back in the classroom.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia schools to reopen Tuesday, work-to-rule still in place
“We’re happy that school’s back in,” Ron Haigh said as he dropped his daughter, Sophia off at school on Tuesday morning.
All provincial schools were closed to students Monday, after Education Minister Karen Casey said Saturday work-to-rule job action by unionized teachers compromised the safety of students. At the time, it wasn’t known when students would be back in classrooms.
Following backlash from parents and widespread protests, Casey announced Monday afternoon that schools would reopen Tuesday.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia teachers express frustration with #ReadyToTeach hashtag on Twitter
The reason, according to Casey, is that the Nova Scotia Teachers Union changed their directives regarding principals’ duties during work-to-rule.
The union maintains that nothing changed since Friday, when they communicated clearly with the province through a memo that they were changing their work-to-rule guidelines.
“It really just sort of seems like a big mishandling on the government’s side of things. It’s a complex issue that isn’t being handled with, I think, the serious nature of what it is,” said Haigh.
“I think education in this province is a very, very important topic that should be reviewed and discussed in much greater detail.”
Although schools are open, teachers are in a work-to-rule position. Classroom instruction won’t be interrupted, however, there will be no extra curricular and volunteer activities, including sports or Christmas concerts.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia teachers work-to-rule: What does it mean for you?
Teachers will only arrive at school 20 minutes before schools starts and leave within 20 minutes of the final bell.
The labour dispute between the province and unionized teachers shows no signs of coming to an end anytime soon. At this time, there are no scheduled talks between the province and the NSTU.
Monday, thousands of people took part in protests across the province – at schools and outside the Nova Scotia legislature – calling for government to listen to teachers and for the resignation of the education minister.
WATCH: Education Minister Karen Casey announced Monday that Nova Scotia schools will reopen Tuesday morning
Shari McKeough, a single mother of a child with special needs, was one of dozens of parents who took part in a rally outside Astral Drive Elementary School in Cole Harbour Monday morning.
She said her son was excited to get back to school on Tuesday, and vows to keep fighting for what teachers deserve.
” I think we had a great victory yesterday by allowing the students to come back and teach today but we still have a big fight on our hands,” said McKeough.
“To see this kind of mess happening in our province, that involves our kids, our future. It’s embarrassing. We’re better than this guys, we’re better than this, right?”
Many parents say they aren’t angry, but want this situation sorted out and think both sides should get back to the table.
“I wish the government would actually sit down and talk with them, you know, get everything get back to normal,” said parent Danny Brownrigg.
“I understand the teachers side. I kind of understand the government’s side. They just have to sit down and work things out.”
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