Lester B. Pearson teachers use report cards as pressure tactic

Some students in the Lester B. Pearson school board may find something missing from their report cards at the end of this school year.

The union representing teachers at the school board has told its members not to include personalized comments to students.

Instead, teachers are being asked to select a comment from a pre-written standardized list.

Union president John Donnelly said the move is a pressure tactic to bring attention to the stalemate in contract negotiations with the province.

"Normally, teachers tend to be effusive in their comments backing up their evaluation mark to the parents," he said. 

"But in this case, we are telling them, 'No, don't do that — make it as sparse as possible.'"

Donnelly said he wants parents and the public to recognize the education system is under attack.

Suanne Stein Day, head of the school board, said nothing in the teachers' collective agreement requires them to put comments on report cards.

But she said most parents she has checked with say they received comments.

"I think most parents will agree there will be few surprises on the report card because we communicate more than ever in the past," she said.

The teachers' union says there will be more pressure tactics next year, including not volunteering for extra activities and holding only the minimum number of parent-teacher meetings.