Teacher Union prevents student participation in Halton tier 1 senior championship game

There will be a lot of seats available on Thursday at Ron Joyce Stadium. That’s because the Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) action beginning Wednesday is prohibiting the MM Robinson student body from getting to the game with organized buses and teacher chaperones. In a nut shell, the union has indicated that teachers are not to cover the classes of their colleagues.

Don’t worry, the undefeated Corpus Christi team will have fans, and lots of them. That’s because they are in a different school board which has settled its negotiations.

The players are devastated. Championship games don’t come along every day. When they do, it’s usually an opportunity to generate school spirit for all students.

On the field, it’s going to be an unfair advantage for the Corpus Christi team. Just yesterday two McMaster defensive players posted a thank you video to their fans because of the importance of the 13th man on the field.

It will be an embarrassment for the Halton secondary school board. Once again, its the students who suffer. We are pleased, that our coaches will be able to be at the game. The school board has agreed to supply teachers for their classes.

There are some possible solutions.The school board trustees, who plan on attending the game could offer to chaperone on the buses if the teachers can’t attend.  Or the teachers’ union could make an exception for this game to allow MM Robinson teachers to participate. Either option would allow for a fairer game.

Football isn’t the most important thing in life, it’s true. But its nice when a school who has had so much negative publicity in recent years has something to celebrate.

Hopefully, MM Robinson fans will find their way to McMaster before the end of the first quarter when the gates close.