Teachers Hit the Streets for Public Education and Community Service
Kathleen Flowers
The Teachers’ Union believes its message can be better spread to the community. So today, the men and women usually found in their classrooms were out on the pavement across the Old Capital. They spoke to any and everyone they met, and according to their branch president, found their message well-received. Kathleen Flowers told us her teachers even found time, in some cases, to do a little community service.
Kathleen Flowers, President, Belize District Branch, B.N.T.U.
“One objective – to tell the story from our side; to tell the story and the truth of why we are doing what we are doing; to let people know the ins and outs and the bolts of why we are where we are today; and to also gauge their support and to also seek their support. And as I said before, it is an overwhelming response from the community. There has been hardly any indication that when we knocked at people’s doors, they turn us away or shut their doors. They listened, they thank us for sharing on a level that they can understand and they indicated that they are going to be with us all the way.”
Reporter
“Do you feel that people understood more about the causes, the eight points today after the public education?”
Kathleen Flowers
“Exactly so, especially using the graphic flyer that our members took out with them as they went on the streets. It broke down to the Belizean public, John Q and the man on the ground, exactly what it is we were saying. And the teachers took to the streets, giving a simplistic lesson on what that standpoint is about. This strategy, I know for sure was done in the Belize District back when we had initiated the 2005 strike action. And it is just extended this time around that we are doing it countrywide. But it also went a little step further because in the Belize District, there were some teachers who said because we talk about our strategy in the branch and they took it a little bit further that just sharing the information as to why we are on strike and that kinda thing. They went into some community institutions and they did some community service so that they could even further show that we don’t only stay in the classrooms; we do this kind of thing even on our own. But as a unit today for celebrating World Teachers Day, some went to K.H.M.H., I know some were at the mercy Clinic; some had planned to go to Sister Cecilia. So I am hoping that that turned out well; I have not gotten the report on those yet. Definitely when I say some I know that some of the teachers from SCA were planning to go that route. So I haven’t seen them yet, but I know it was on the agenda. But it should put us in a different light and complement what we are doing here as we say that we are standing up for Belize.”
