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Abstract
As the Metro elementary school strike heads into its third week, some of the 157,000 affected youngsters may be learning a serious lesson outside the classroom: Grown-ups don't always take care of you.
"Most of all, pretend school is still open and do projects," [Ed Pakes] said. "Kids have great imaginations and they could play school or play strike and learn at the same time."
One said it's when a Blue Jay batter swings and misses the baseball. Another said he doesn't know what a strike is but "I don't go on strike."
Full text
As the Metro elementary school strike heads into its third week, some of the 157,000 affected youngsters may be learning a serious lesson outside the classroom: Grown-ups don't always take care of you.
"That can be a very unsettling thought to carry around," said Dr. Barney Gilmore, a University of Toronto professor who specializes in child and clinical psychology.
Many parents and child psychologists are talking about possible emotional bruises on children as the 9,600 teachers and seven school boards slug it out. There aren't any clear-cut answers.
"Children need direction," said Dr. Ed Pakes, a senior psychiatrist at the Hospital for Sick Children and director of the bereavement clinic at Mount Sinai Hospital.
"Right now, they're not getting it at school and that can cause anxiety," he said.
Losing interest
Without challenge, some children are losing interest in school as they play games and watch movies instead of learning mathematics and grammar. Parents spent much of the summer getting their kids excited about school and now that enthusiasm is zapped.
"What started out as an enthusiastic girl going off to Grade 1 is now a mumbling kid asking when she can go back to school," said parent Charlene Bain, of her 6-year-old daughter, Ellen.
"I can't measure what effect it's had on her," Bain said. "I also can't tell her when she can go back."
Other parents say government jargon about legislating an end to the strike once a child's school year is "in jeopardy" is bunk.
"I know my children can make up the school work they've missed but I'm worried what they're learning about the world," said parent David Young.
Gilmore agrees, saying: "The danger isn't that precious learning minutes are slipping away unused. It's more subtle than that."
It's not all bad, though.
Learning experience
Pakes said some good can come out of the strike for children because any experience can be turned into a learning experience.
He said it's important parents make children aware the strike is not their fault and get them involved to learn more about the situation. That could include interviewing teachers for their opinions and writing boards for their answers.
"Most of all, pretend school is still open and do projects," Pakes said. "Kids have great imaginations and they could play school or play strike and learn at the same time."
Chances are children under 8 will feel more bored, upset, angry and abandoned than the older ones, who have a better idea what the strike is about, psychiatrists agree.
"Five- and 6-year-olds are less likely to understand what the fight is," Gilmore said. "They may think it's something involving them."
Many younger children don't know why their teachers are out of the classrooms walking around the school carrying sandwich boards. When asked what a strike is, children often give intriguing answers.
One said it's when a Blue Jay batter swings and misses the baseball. Another said he doesn't know what a strike is but "I don't go on strike."
Sarah Steele, 7, scratched her knee, bit on her lower lip and thought. "A strike is when the teachers and (school) board fight to see who wins," she said.
Copyright 1987 Toronto Star, All Rights Reserved.