Dear B.C Minister of Finance Michael De Jong,

Thank you for your voicemail message expressing your regret that I was not home to share with you my priorities for a balanced budget. Perhaps it was a good thing that I was not available for your call because I have a feeling you don’t really want to hear what I have to say about your government’s fiscal management record.

Firstly, I don't think we could even agree about the topic of our conversation since I see a balanced budget as an oxymoron, like fresh-frozen or pretty-ugly. A budget is a forecast, not a fixed entity. It's a projection that is at best an estimation of what spending will be.

Yesterday it felt good to be one of thousands marching in B.C. to challenge the misogynist rhetoric of a narcissistic president. It was cathartic to walk with so many whose protest was displayed on signs philosophic and poetic all around the planet, from Alaska to Antarctica.

But today, when I think about what is happening in our own province, I wonder when we will see thousands take to the streets to protest the egregious actions of the B.C. Liberal government and Christy Clark?

While big money gets to feast at her table, children with learning disabilities struggle to keep up with lessons in mouldy portables, waiting for the crumbs she was so "excited" to promise.

She's excited about our Supreme Court win. Premier Christy Clark, who as Minister of Education in 2002, introduced legislation that violated teachers' constitutional rights, and set in motion 14 years of students' suffering, is excited that the Supreme Court of Canada has said that she was wrong.

What I wish she would feel is remorse.

What I feel is grief.

My elation at hearing the news of the end of a very long struggle for teachers was followed by sadness mixed with anger about all that has been lost over the past 14 years.

I always know when I've dropped one of the gajillion juggling balls that is my teaching job. It's when my students' faces have the kind of look a puppy has when it's being blamed for something it didn't do. They look at me all wide-eyed and wondering what just happened as they listen to me express frustration.

This frustration always happens when I temporarily forget what I know about what my students need. Last week, at a moment when I was exhausted and distressed, I forgot that lecturing after 1 p.m. is an utter waste of time, completely out of sync with students' circadian rhythms.

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One time I wished I had playdough in my classroom. Another time, a whole bunch of Lego blocks. Last week, I wished I had crazy sunglasses for all my students.

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I wonder if it’s because Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is actually a teacher that so much of his Canada Day speech today reminded me of all that is good about public education?

For every example he gave of Canadian values, I thought of what those values looked like in the place where I teach.

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For Immediate Release

Lower Mainland, B.C.

22 May 2016

PARENTS PREPARE TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL SCHOOL SUPPLIES