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A parent of a student at Peacock Primary in Happy Valley-Goose Bay says her son’s now-former principal had to take a stand in her resignation, and that the Department of Education needs to do better for children in Labrador.
“I wouldn’t be able to sit, go to bed and sit with myself and be okay if I was in charge of the education system right now. I would be in tears, I’d be fighting for change,” Bailey Rose, who is also an early childhood educator, told CBC News Tuesday.
“We here in Labrador have so many resources that the government wants money from, why can’t they put in the money to our children’s future?”
Ashley Barrett resigned as the school’s principal in a letter last week, citing critical understaffing at the school that she said hampered her ability to protect students and the quality of their education.
The school currently has six of its 27 teaching positions vacant.
Rose’s son has ADHD, and said Barrett worked closely with him to ensure he was properly supported and engaged. A principal shouldn’t have to do that in the classroom, Rose added, but said it shows the level of impact and commitment Barrett had to her students.
“Hearing that she had to walk away from something she is so passionate about is more than just her resigning her position. It was a reality check for the Department of Education to really see what’s going on,” Rose said.
“Reading that email, I knew the desperation coming from her.”
Peacock Primary has an enrolment of around 324 students, and has six of its 27 teaching positions vacant. (John Gaudi/CBC)
Speaking with CBC News on Tuesday, Education Minister Paul Dinn said he wasn’t totally surprised by Barrett’s resignation. He says it highlights what the province has already known about educational gaps in Labrador.
“There will be some issues that come up, you know, like the past resignation that sort of hits you by surprise, but you’re not surprised. So we’ll address those as they come, but the key here is to start taking steps and to communicate, have the communication lines open,” Dinn said.
Dinn said staff met with Peacock Primary on Monday. Staff and substitute teachers have been assigned to the school to keep it open, and Dinn said meetings will continue with the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association for solutions.
Dinn also plans to visit schools across Labrador next month.
“The unfortunate thing about this is there’s no quick fix, because you have to come up with staff that want to go up and teach in Labrador. There are issues a bit bigger than education in terms of housing and those issues, so we’re going to work on that,” Dinn said.
NDP Leader Jim Dinn, also a former NLTA President, said the issues in Labrador aren’t new.
Education Minister Paul Dinn says Barrett’s resignation highlights the need to fill gaps in Labrador’s education system. (Mark Cumby/CBC)
“These are not new problems when it comes to that, when it comes to recruiting and retaining teachers … It should never have to come to this situation, where you’ve got a principal who’s decided to resign,” Jim Dinn said.
Before Paul Dinn’s interview with CBC, Rose said the minister can’t understand the severity of the situation without seeing it for himself.
She also called on Dinn and the province to better prioritize education — and the social determinants that can help bring more teachers — in Labrador.
“We have developments coming out of Labrador left, right and centre, but where’s the money for our teachers? Where’s the money for our housing? Where’s the money for our children’s education?”
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