New Sask. Teachers' Federation campaign aims to make education a top election issue

A new campaign from the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation highlightsthechallenges the union saysteachers are facing in the classroom, with the intent of making education a top-of-mind issue in the upcoming provincial and school board elections.

The "vote for public education" campaign, which the federation officially launched Thursday,focuses on three key commitments it wants to see fromcandidates: restoring and maintainingper student funding, addressing class size and complexity, and addressing concerns aboutviolence in schools.

Earlier this year, teachers in Saskatchewan took job action that included rotating strikes, after failing to reach a new collective agreement. The federation cited issues such as classroom size and complexity as sticking points.

In June, the teachers' federation agreed tobinding arbitration with the provincial government on two topics: teachers' pay and a classroom complexity-accountability framework.

On Thursday, federation president Samantha Becotte saidthe commitments highlighted in the new campaign "reflect the issues that Saskatchewan teachers have been raising with the government for a decade" and in collective bargaining.

Becotte called the campaign "non-partisan."

"We will not be endorsing any candidate or party. What we will do, though, is provide teachers and other voters with information to make informed decisions at the ballot box and vote for public education," Becotte said at a news conference.

The federation will share moredetails aboutthe issues teachers facein the classroom, as well as its proposed solutions, over the next coming months, said Becotte.

"Saskatchewan students deserve a well-resourced education system that helps them learn, grow and thrive," she said.

The nextprovincial election must be held on or before Oct. 28. Elections for school boards will follow on Nov. 13.