MONTREAL - Quebec teachers are upset and they're letting the education minister know.
Thousands of teachers evaluated the minister and came up with a report card
This led to several dozens coming to protest in front of Line Beauchamp's Montreal offices and issuing her a failing grade.
Serge Laurendeau, president of the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers, says the Ministry of Education has been dragging its feet on several issues, namely special needs programs and the way report cards are handled
"We are saying there are too many tests," said Laurendeau. "Teachers have to do an evaluation at every subject at every semester."
While that seems logical to many, Laurendeau says the need to cover multiple topics, and conduct exams or grade essays, should be spread out over the entire year instead of a semester system.
Currently grades given during the first two semesters are each worth 20 percent of a student's annual mark, with the final semester's notes worth 60 percent.
"We're saying leave it to the schools to decide when they will do an evaluation," said Laurendeau.
The association is also upset with the provincial government's plan to increase the high school graduation rate.
The provincial government wants to increase the high school graduation rate from its current level of just over 60 percent to 80 percent by 2020.
Laurendeau said that is not a realistic expectation unless teachers are given more resources.
The QPAT would also like to see the province take steps to help teachers who are integrating learning disabled studeints.
The association says the number of special needs students in classrooms has grown too large.
