Students in Mabou vow Christmas dance must go on in spite of work-to-rule
Student leaders stunned when school cancels last week's dance the day before it was to be held
High school students in a rural Cape Breton community are refusing to allow the current dispute between teachers and the province to prevent them from holding their Christmas dance.
A dance at Dalbrae Academy in Mabou, initially planned for Dec.1, was called off the day before it was slated to happen after the principal said it was too close to pending job action by teachers.
"We had the DJ booked, we had 20 pizzas ordered for the next day and chaperones and photo booth and props all set up," said Beth Beaton, co-president of the student council at Dalbrae Academy.
"And everyone had their outfits — dresses and ties — and got their nails done ahead of time, little things like that."
Teachers began work-to-rule this week and arrive 20 minutes before class and leave 20 minutes after the end of the school day. It also means extracurricular activities are cancelled.
'The whole school was pretty upset'
Student leaders at Dalbrae said back in November they deliberately chose a date for the dance that would land before the job action, and received approval from teachers and the principal.
But principal Ann Walley said at the end of November teachers decided not to schedule any events leading up to Dec. 5, when work-to-rule was to begin.
"What we had been instructed not to do was not to jump the queue so to speak, but unfortunately we had already done that," said Walley, adding that the normal time for the Christmas dance is mid-December.
Beaton and her co-president, Braedon MacIntyre, said they were shocked to receive an email on Nov. 30, the day before the dance, telling them it was postponed.
"The whole school was pretty upset," said MacIntyre. "Social media was crazy that day."
Students plan own Christmas ball
Despite Walley's promise to hold a dance once a contract settlement is reached with the government, students have started planning to hold their own Christmas dance outside of the school for Dec.14.
"We all still wanted our Christmas ball in December, and before Christmas, and not wait until everything was over, so we decided to book a hall in Mabou and have it there," said Beaton.
Because the students are now renting a hall and need to re-book another DJ, they're selling tickets to cover costs. And they're on the hunt for more chaperones to make sure the night remains safe and orderly for all.
"We don't want people thinking that just because it's not at the school that it's like a free-for-all," said Beaton. "So we want a lot of chaperones there and we want people to keep the place tidy."
'Didn't want to let everyone down'
Tickets are selling and the plans are going well, Beaton and MacIntyre said, and the extra work, responsibility and added costs are worth it.
"Because everyone was really looking forward to it and we didn't want to let everyone down," said Beaton.
"And it's our Grade 12 year, too, and we really wanted a Christmas dance," added MacIntyre.
Back at the school, Walley said the whole situation isn't easy for anyone.
"This was such a tough decision for the teachers and we know we disappointed the kids but most of the kids have been so supportive and they're being patient," said Walley.
"I feel bad that the kids are going through this because teachers love to do things for kids."
In the end the students will have two dances: one they organize for Dec. 14, and eventually one at school when the contract dispute is settled.