The Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association is giving a failing grade to the Greene Report’s assessment of the K-12 system.

President Dean Ingrim contends that he is “deeply concerned” by the content of the Greene Report, noting that it is “beyond disappointing.”

Ingram touched on several subjects. On the topics of collective agreements and principals, vice-principals, and supervisors not being made part of the NLTA, Ingram was firm in saying that the NLTA will fight any attempts by government to legislate changes to their agreements or to remove any member from the association.

Ingram responded to comments made by Chair Moya Greene regarding the province’s low student/teacher ratios. He says the statements were made without the context of our demographic realities, and in his words are “not useful” and “misleading at best.”

Further, he notes that suggesting that the province’s K-12 system does not provide students with a strong educational foundation is a gross exaggeration and oversimplification of the issues.

Ingram also commented that the recommendation about legislating an eight-hour school day for teachers demonstrates a “disturbing lack of understanding and appreciation” for the realities of teachers’ workdays. He cites a 2004 study by Dr. David Dibbon that states teachers on average work over 46 hours a week to perform their professional duties, more if you include associated volunteer roles.

He calls the suggestion that extending school hours will create more time for professional learning and collaboration “ill-informed and insulting.”