Sask. students rally to save their extracurriculars

Sports jerseys and team flags of every colour took over the steps of Saskatchewan’s legislative building on Wednesday at lunchtime, worn by teenagers rallying for their extracurriculars.

A new contract between the provincial government and the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation wasn’t reached by 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, meaning teachers will withdraw their services from extracurricular activities and anything outside the classroom and outside school hours.

That means clubs and sports teams won’t be operating, and basketball seasons which are just reaching the end — and therefore championship games — will stop in their tracks.

Kennedy Hollinger is a Grade 12 student on the senior girls basketball team at Michael A. Riffel High School in Regina. She said a lot of emotion ran through the players’ heads when they heard the news.

“We worked the whole season to get where we are. We put in the hours just like the teachers did. They supported us throughout the way, and just to not have the opportunity to showcase our final talents in one big thing, and then go on to Hoopla afterwards, it’s kind of a shock and just ruined our year in a way,” said Hollinger.

It wasn’t just students from Regina at the rally; others drove for hours from different parts of the province to be there. One group drove five hours from Unity.

“Five hours is nothing compared to the last two weeks of our basketball careers,” said one of the teens when he spoke to the crowd. He explained that most of the team won’t play basketball again after high school, so this is their last chance.

Zaeyah Wilson and the rest of her senior girls basketball team drove from Foam Lake on Wednesday morning.

“When we found out that we might not be able to go to regionals or Hoopla, we all were devastated. We were supposed to host regionals and it’s completely unfair that we can no longer do that because adults, grown adults, cannot make a decision. And we have to suffer for it,” said Wilson.

The Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association was to stage regional championship basketball tournaments this weekend around the province. Hoopla — the provincial championship tournament — was set for March 19-21 in Regina.

The association also said that all sanctioned badminton events are suspended until further notice. The provincial high school championships are set for May 9 in Nipawin.

The refrain, over and over, from all the students at the rally is that they support their teachers. Many of the signs held by the teens put the blame on the provincial government for the impasse at the bargaining tables.

“We understand that there’s a need to strike to make noise and get change,” said Wilson. “So that’s why we’re here today — to make that noise and bring forth the change.”

It’s not just sport seasons in jeopardy. Students involved in other activities and clubs joined the rally as well. Many of the students are seniors, and some were concerned that the dispute will go on long enough to have an effect on their graduation ceremonies and celebrations.

Regina teacher understands the tactic

Jeff Perry, the president of the Regina Public School Teachers’ Association, coached sports for 29 years. But he understands the union’s reasoning for withholding services.

“They’re called extracurricular for a reason. They’re outside of the duties of a teacher under the Education Act and they’ve been withdrawn so it gives teachers additional time to focus on the growing needs of students in their classrooms and trying to bring a resolution to this issue,” Perry told the Greg Morgan Morning Show on Wednesday.

Perry said he hasn’t heard too much backlash from the public because of the STF’s decision. But he has been following what people say on social media.

“I understand that there’s going to be some students and parents and teacher-coaches who will be disappointed that their activities have been suspended,” he said.

“But at the same time, we’re seeing even more parents and students who are outraged over not getting their academic and social growth needs met, and agree that our primary role as teachers is to teach.”