Teachers’ Union Calls for Continued Community Support

Kathleen Flowers

But does the majority of Belizeans support the B.N.T.U.’s actions? That is a question more difficult to answer than to ask. There has been sustained pressure on teachers to return to the classroom from external sources, often including outright attacks on their motives from various corners, as well as internal pressure and personal doubt. Kathleen Flowers of B.N.T.U. Belize District said today that the union must avoid looking selfish by not abandoning their responsibilities in the classroom.

Kathleen Flowers, President, Belize District Branch, B.N.T.U.

“The only way we can keep the public on our side is by showing them that the sacrifice we are making is not a selfish one. We are doing this for our nation and we have to ask them to stand firm with us. We, as B.N.T.U. and the members who make up B.N.T.U., are not irresponsible people. We will be sure to make sure that whatever ground we have lost is covered in some way, shape and form, except that we are encouraging our members to make sure that they initiate cultivate and activate that makeup work; that makeup adjustment for the period that we are out on industrial action at their respective schools, taking into consideration the nature, the culture, of the different geographical areas from which our members come. So it is up to our membership where they come from, how they are going to address, but we won’t leave any holes or any questions left unanswered as it relates to how we are going to make up with our children. That’s something we do every day in the classroom. We find that we need to do remedial work; we do remedial work—morning, noon and night. Therefore this is nothing new to us; that can happen as long as we know we have people on our side for the long haul.”