B.C. teachers facing 'unsustainable' pressures due to staff shortages, union says
A "critical" shortage of teachers in B.C. is leading to increased workloads, mounting stress and an inability to meet students' needs, according to a first-of-its-kind survey conducted by the union.
The BC Teachers Federation released the results of its membership survey Tuesday, saying the results underscore that action is needed to address persistent staffing shortages in schools.
"Teachers are doing their best to make it work, but without significant staffing increases, the pressures on them are unsustainable,” union president Clint Johnston said in a statement.
"Our public educators believe passionately in providing students with the best education possible and could do so much more with the full support of school districts and the B.C. government.
The survey asked teachers to compare their workloads, stress and health this year to last.
Nearly two-thirds, 64.1 per cent, said their workloads have increased, and 65.5 per cent said their stress levels are higher. When it comes to health, 40.5 per cent reported a decline in their physical health and 40.4 per cent reported worsening mental health.
These factors, the union says, combine to increase the likelihood of burnout. The top two reasons teachers said they would consider leaving the profession were "inadequate working conditions" and "mental health concerns," according to the report.
Four out of five teachers said they have been personally impacted by staff shortages at their schools and in their districts. The number one impact of this, according to the survey results summary, is that they are "not able to get necessary support for (their) students." The concern that kids' needs are not being met is more pronounced when it comes to students with disabilities or diverse needs, the summary notes. A lack of support for these students was also cited one of the top three reasons BCTF members would leave teaching.
Other ways teachers said they were affected were a loss of prep time and being pulled away from their regular duties to cover shortages. They also reported foregoing needed sick days and personal days due to concerns over staffing levels.
Going forward, the union plans to repeat the survey every year in order to track trends.
The online survey was sent to a random sample of 13,053 union members, the report says. There were a total of 3,068 completed responses received. The BCTF had 39,558 members when the survey was sent out.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.