Former Chilliwack teacher Clint Johnston elected new BCTF president
The union representing British Columbia’s 46,000 lecturers has elected a brand new chief, who will take up the highest job when the present president ends her third and closing one-year time period.
Clint Johnston was elected B.C. Academics’ Federation president on Tuesday, and can start in that function when present president Teri Mooring’s time period ends in June.
Johnston is a former Chilliwack major college instructor, however has been on depart serving because the union’s first vice-president, and can also be vice-president of the Canadian Academics’ Federation.
Previous to serving on the union’s provincial govt served as president of the Chilliwack Academics’ Affiliation from 2012 to 2014.
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Whereas he gained’t formally take up the duties of president till June, Johnston mentioned he’s already engaged in bargaining with the province over the union’s newest collective settlement, which started final week.
“Given COVID, the impacts of COVID, the pre-existing points earlier than COVID, getting our members a superb deal at that desk that retains them from falling additional behind is the primary precedence,” he instructed World Information.
“After that, it will likely be how we will extra ahead after bargaining even to keep up lecturers on this province. We all know we have now a instructor scarcity on this province, and that’s a problem we have to proceed engaged on.”
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Johnston mentioned COVID-19 has proven how essential the training system is for youths and households.
However he mentioned the pandemic has additionally been tremendously tough on lecturers, and that as president he’ll push to make sure these challenges are acknowledged by the province.
“I feel the general public now understands extra broadly what that’s, it’s extra than simply the instructing we do, we offer a protected place, we assist youngsters, we feed youngsters a number of instances,” he mentioned.
“I feel it’s that further put on that COVID placed on lecturers so we have to see from the federal government some actual initiatives, some actual concepts and sources round supporting the psychological well being of lecturers which might be doing that very important work.”
Talking with CKNW on Tuesday, Johnston mentioned different priorities embody persevering with to assist LGBTQ2 kids by means of inclusivity initiatives like SOGI 123, and decolonizing the Ok-12 training system and integrating the Reality and Reconciliation Fee’s requires motion is one other essential precedence for him.
Johnston can also be a father of 5, together with three kids nonetheless within the Ok-12 training system — expertise he says he’ll take with him to the highest job.
“That have as a father or mother is effective,” he mentioned.
“I actually take away what they’re doing and their experiences at college inform my advocacy.”
