Il - --: -- 6 - lb. Canadian Ctwiapon, Tueuby, Septumber 1, 1M8 SCOMMENT Bx 48, 191MainiV Miton, Ont. L9T 4N9 (905) 878-2341 Fax: 878-4943 Classified: 875-3300 Ian Oliver Publisher Neil Oliver Associate Publisher BllI Begin General Manager Rob KeUy Editar Karen Cross Circulation Manager Teri Casas Office Manager Tem Cotes Production Manager 1 ho Canadiair Champion 'nil liVii 't ioinki 1il ii Min St E, Milton. Onti, L14a9i(Box 248), i, iiiiî01i 1110 MMiiilaiii Pninting. Publishing & srbailng Lii at-uap ai stiuriran ompa- nies which incudeeS. Aax 1 Pckerng News Adefliser, Allitit Herati/Courir, Barrie Avance, Bat-t-s Bay This Week. Donlon Enteruse, Brampon iuardian. Buringion Shopping News. BulingonnPos, Cipy Parent, Coitngwooui / Wasaga Coîtoin, as.t YOMrit Muri. Einn Aocate/Countttii outes, Eitîhmnîîkr fliaiiatt, Flamborough Pos, Goretown lniepeîîiteîni/Aîtîî too F ief teýss Kngstonl Ths Wei, Lnsay Thiis Week, Marlihati iconîinttlh&8 Siu. Mdand / penetattgoîsheie Mlîîot, Misis%,aiiiS Nrîes. Newmaritet I Sutura Eta Bat-nr. Nothuîiteîtlandît New.. hît orkVi Mîntor Pakillie Beaver, Oatoille Shopping aNwn, (iltla titîaY, Oshawa / Whity / Cianngot-Ths thtOi. Pteroititîh titiK ht-til, Richmeond HilI/Tiranthili / VaughtatnLitrai ScAibtgia Mitlii. (teSige I Stouotiite Trbue, Tday Setiots. Ciy ii o rit Guarian. AvnnOrsinie s accepreri on he condtionn har. inité eueti ofat ppagraputirnaiet-oui. tiraiporion ut tire aveiiiparaet 000 pied Sp Sihenurrneous Seom, tmeSuer wfir a reasonahie allowanitetiti signature, iii not e chatgsi trut thieii balano utlhe aineite- ment wilt e paie tor aitirhe appicable rae. The puotilsher reserves thre rigiri to categanize aineitisenienis an decine. Explore compromise It looks like some of the teacher unions and the provincial govern- ment are in an old familiar position - brinkmanship. Meanwhile, parents and students are once again caught in the middle. Both the Catholic and public high school teachers are poised for legal strikes. The crux of the dispute is increased workloads for teach- ers, who will now have to instruct seven out of eight classes per day insteari of six. According to AI Tanner, president of the Halton public secondary school teaching union local, the change would mean dropping 100 teachers -- something he considers highly negative in ternis of pro- viding quality education. As well, teachers have strongly hinted that extra-curricular school activities are at risk since, given their higher in-class work commitinents, they won't be able to help out with for example football or the draina club. There are no easy answers here, and even compromises will satisfy neither of the belligerents, if that terni may be used to describe the two sides. Yet in the interests of continuity, creative compromises should be examined. Teachers say that they need the two periods a day they had until now for marking and planning lessons. What if lessons were flot planned by individual teachers but set out more centrally, SO that they didn't have to invest as much planning tume? I ternis of marking, while the union clearly wouldn't like it, what if papers were marked by lower-paid teaching assistants, or even senior university students as a part-Uirne job? I university, teaching assistants mark papers all the tume. Maybe these ideas are in no way revolutionary or even novel, but perhaps too, this is a line of thinking that should to be explored. As well, the need for volunteers to mun extra-curricular activities becomes clear if teachers won't be involved, with whatever legisla- tive changes are necessary to allow non-teachers the authority to oversee practices and games without being personally liable should a child be injured. Clearly, these suggestions will not be palatable to the teaching unions. But just as clearly implementing ideas such as the ones out- lined above may make the situation overail more acceptable to teach- ers vis a vis their workload. And, if 100 teachers get laid off, that too is highly unfortunate. But that is what happens in unionized environmcnts when costs are cut. hIvariably the choice is between slashing benefits and compensation for the majority of the union members, or letting somne union merm- bers go. Usually, the less senior union members are let go because the union stands fim in protcctmng the hard-camned compensation pack- age negotiatcd by the majority, who will not lose their jobs. This is in no way a criticism of unions, which are integral to many workplaces and the springboard of most enlightened occupational legislation through the 2th century. And it is not really much of a criticism for teachers, who by and large, we would suggest, work hard in an environnient that ie. far more strcssful than most people believe. Stijl, change wiil be made by the provincial govemment, and teach- ers must cope. How they choose to do so is up to them. It appears right now that it will be through confrontation, a strike. Nf that hap- pens, the governmunt may feel it has a frcer hand to do as it pleases. Perhpflich better play on flic part of teachers would be to hammer out a deal. ~OUR READERS WRITE Don't be stupid - always wear a helmet while skateboardig Dean Editor: The Town of Milton and parents -- beware! Last week, while cyling with rny eight-year-old son, we stopped by the new skateboard park, built by The Town of Milton, adjacent to Milton Mernorial Arena. We were both fascinated by the acrobatics of the more skilled youths on their bicycles, skateboards and rollerblades. The Town has posted a sign that states that the park is 1"asupervised, that users must wear protective gear and hel- mets and the lThe Town is not responsible for any injuries. My eight-year-old aon asked me, "Why aren't these kids wearing helmets?" 0f the 70 or an participants, three had helmets on. I had already read the sign and 1 looked around the compound expecting to see a myriad of discarded hel- mets laying about, but to my chagrin, there were only a few. So rny conclusion was that most of these youths had corne frorn their homes without helmets. These ramps and rails etc. are used for various tricks and stints that one can easily seis a high-risk activity. It is easy to expectjes inthe orderof scrapes, bruises and broken bones, as acceptable. On the other hand, unsuccessful stunts that drive Uic par- ticipant up avertical wall 8 to 10 feet in the air, landiig head tirst on asphalt wiil leave one of our children with a very serions head injury. Parents should ensure that their children wear ahelrnet, at least, al of the Urne Uiat they participate in these activities, on their own street or at this part. astated, our community will be aghast, and the Town of Milton, I suspect, will be in the courts defending its good intentions. By the way, the answer to rny son's question was, "You have a good habit wearing your helmet all of the Urne." He said back to me, "You wear one and I'm flot stupid, you know" Faut Tate Milton Sentenoes way out of whack, according to upset reader Dear Editor: This letter is regarding what I feed are unfair sentences. Gary Tattersal was fined $4.000. Hlis crime wss interfer- ence with a fire officiai, during an inspection - no violence, no threats and no damage. Bank mobber Linda Michaud is free with supervised con- ditions. She comniitted 10, bank robbenies, some with tbrats of violence with pepper spray. Someone could have died from fear, heart attack or other conditions. Ten instances of bank robbery certainly deserves some jail term. Is depression conducive to planning 10 successful bank robberies. 1 think not. hs this gender bias? Poor court decisions? is it acceptable? Waltw J Tfford Homby Pud by Steve Nease JeiOWA590I tri RAD To RAND 'OUT # VAIAT C1D11 5 NIG,PflT?# AIM ANPSAYR Ur45KMAANLIK<EF4T MN oiiiCONPUCuip