B.C. teachers' strike: Lars Konge builds mini-school in his living room
B.C. teachers' strike means public school won't start Sept. 2 as scheduled
One East Vancouver dad has become so frustrated with the ongoing teachers dispute, he has decided to take his daughter's education into his own hands.
With no end to the B.C. teachers' strike in sight and a six-year-old about to start Grade 2, Lars Konge transformed his living room into a classroom and began the process of hiring a teacher by posting the position on Craigslist.org.
"When they do go back to class, I don't want her to be further behind on the curriculum," he told CBC News.
Instead of getting ready and heading out the door to go to school, Konge's daughter La Wren will head to her desk in the living room.
"It feels like the school is mine," she told CBC News while sitting at her new work space.
Five other kids—some from the neighbourhood and some from his daughter's school—will join La Wren for classes in math and English from 9 a.m. to around noon.
Konge said he expected to have a teacher under contract by the end of Monday night and that she would be paid $25 per kid per day.
"At six kids, she'd be getting $150 a day for, call it 3.5 hours of work a day," he said.
Konge says he's making school happen for his daughter to make sure she doesn't fall behind.
"That's the number one thing. We have to make sure our daughter has an education," he said.
Read more about the B.C. teachers' strike on CBC.ca/BC
- Parents in 'panic mode' as B.C. teachers' strike delays school year start
- Registration opens for $40-a-day parents' education support pay
- B.C. premier's tweets blaming teachers for delayed school year inflame tense talks
- No start to school year Sept. 2 after talks fall apart
- IN DEPTH | B.C.'s teachers' feud dates back decades
- VOTE| How long do you think B.C. schools will be closed?
With files from the CBC's Bal Brach and Susana da Silva