Open letter from school board tells universities why students can't get reference letters
Nova Scotia teachers aren't writing reference letters for students during work-to-rule
The Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board is trying to help graduating students applying to post-secondary institutions during the contract dispute between teachers and the province.
Teachers will not write letters of reference as part of a Nova Scotia Teachers Union directive to its members not to carry out functions outside their regular classroom work during the current work-to-rule campaign.
In response, the superintendent of the Cape Breton school board, Beth MacIsaac, has written an open letter students can use when applying for scholarships, apprenticeship opportunities and exchange programs or to attend post-secondary institutions.
'Merits of their application'
In it she explains the particulars of the contract dispute and that teachers are not writing reference letters.
"I would ask that your institution/organization take this into consideration when judging the merits of their application whether for acceptance in a program of study or for scholarships, grants and/or bursaries," MacIsaac writes.
Due to work-to-rule, many Nova Scotia universities have already waived the requirement for a reference letter for entrance scholarships.
Fair process
One Halifax university, Mount Saint Vincent University, said its committee that oversees scholarships will be meeting Monday. The group plans to work out a process to deal fairly with applicants unable to provide reference letters, said university spokeswoman Gillian Batten in an email Friday.
Students applying for MSVU's undergraduate program don't need a reference letter, but the letters are required to apply for entrance scholarships.
However Batten said that applicants won't be "disadvantaged if those letters cannot be provided due to work-to-rule impacts."