Geraldton teachers challenge Colin Barnett: "Spend a day in our classroom"
/Over 200 people rallied today at the Foreshore against the State Government’s education budget cuts.
Teachers, students, parents, education workers and members of the community came together to show their support towards WA Labor’s “Putting Our Kids First” campaign.
Representative from the State School Teachers’ Union WA, Brenda Wann has put out a challenge to Premier Colin Barnett.
“I would challenge Colin Barnett to spend a day in the classroom and just see how difficult it really is for teachers,” she said.
“I think he thinks as teachers we have it easy.”
Brenda, along with several other teachers from schools expressed their opinions with the crowd also voicing their opinion.
“These budget cuts are hugely detrimental to the children,” Brenda said.
“We have kids in years 4, 5, 6 and 7 who can’t even read and write and the programs we have put in place for them are no longer going ahead because we don’t have the money to fund them.”
Some of the budget cuts include:
- 350 education assistants
- 150 central and regional office positions
- 110 Aboriginal and Islander Educations Officers
- Approximately 600 teaching positions
“I don’t think anything will be done this year but I don’t think he will implement these budget cuts next year,” Brenda said.
“But with the group we have here it shows Colin Barnett that we have the community behind us and that things need to change.
“We did this to show him that we are not happy and we mean business.”
Today six Midwest schools closed down including Bluff Point Primary School, Holland Street School, John Willcock College, Mt Tarcoola Primary School, Mullewa District High School and Waggrakine Primary School.
