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Students supportive, concerned about strike

May 24, 2011 | 7:14 AM

Teachers are walking off the job on Wednesday and Thursday.

It is the second strike this month and comes after talks with the provincial government broke down again.

Students have mixed reactions, especially when it comes to how it could affect their high school graduation.

“I don’t think it will affect our grades, but it could push back our grad which would be kind of annoying, but I am mostly concerned about finishing classes up on time,” said Shea Humphreys.

“I could graduate without them (the classes), I have enough credits, but I need my Chem. 30 to go into nursing school in the fall and if I don’t, I’ll have to come back and that would be really bad.”

Jen Stromme agrees that it should not affect graduating, but said there is potential to make a difference in grades.

“Basically our marks will be on the stalemate,” she said, explaining she thinks they might not finish all their assignments if there are more strikes.

“I don’t know if we have to go back to school during the summer or not,” she said.

Most students seemed to be supportive of the teachers.

“I am all for it, they really should get a raise. They do a lot of work, even just outside of school,” Stromme said.

“I think they deserve it, they haven’t gotten a raise in a really long time and costs keep going up and they deserve more than they are making,” said Eithan Pillipow.

He is worried it could have a larger affect.

“It’s not only affecting us as students, giving us time off of school when we could be learning and getting things done, it’s also taking days away from them which would be paid days,” he said.

Some Carlton Comprehensive High School students want to raise some attention about how this is affecting them as well. A number of them have decided they will stage a walk-out today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in support of their teachers.

“We are rallying together to show that it’s not just the teachers and the government involved. Everything they do directly affects us, the student body,” said Anthony Prokopie, in an e-mail to paNOW.

klavoie@panow.com