Parents have mixed emotions about teachers' planned 1-day strike

Parents and one great-grandparent of students at Bicentennial School in Dartmouth, N.S., had mixed feelings about teachers' plans to go on a one-day strike Friday.

Teachers are planning the job action as a response to the provincial government's plans to legislate a contract for them.

Here's what four parents at the elementary and junior high told CBC News:

Tom MacFarlane

Tom MacFarlane came to pick up his great-granddaughter Wednesday and said he's skeptical the one-day strike will do any good. 

"I think the province doesn't have an endless supply of money, and we can't afford to give the teachers everything they want," he said.

"Mind you, teachers do have tough things. There are problems in the classroom, but I can't see this [strike] doing them any good."

George Fagan

George Fagan trudged through messy sidewalks to pick up his daughter from school Wednesday afternoon. His daughter has ADHD and he stands with teachers, even if that means his daughter has to spend another day at home during the strike.

Fagan thinks teachers need more money and resources, and hopes the one-day strike helps to drive home teachers' demands. 

"They're being bullied in my opinion," said Fagan. "Are the teachers really, actually, asking for too much?"

Kevin Findley 

Kevin Findley has three children in Grades 1, 2 and 5. He said work-to-rule job action has been chaotic for parents and he doesn't see the point of a one-day strike.

Findley is hoping the contract dispute gets sorted out soon, since finding child care on such short notice is starting to wear him down.

"Our work schedule is all messed up. I don't see the point of all this," he said.

Dee McKimm

Dee McKimm's daughter is 14 and can look after herself, so a strike day doesn't throw too big of a wrench into her schedule.

She said her daughter is concerned with classroom conditions, especially the number of kids in her classes. 

"Upwards of 40 to 50 kids in a classroom. If it takes a few days off to deal with it, then we as parents have to be OK with that," said McKimm. 

She thinks teachers should have taken this sort of job action sooner. 

​"They've tried doing it the right way, being grown up about it, and it's just not helping," said McKimm.

Lisa Van Houten

Lisa Van Houten teaches Grade 2 at Sir Charles Tupper Elementary school. 

She said she wants Premier Stephen McNeil to give teachers support in the classroom.

"I'm nervous, I'm scared, I feel like we're stuck and we really don't have much room to move," Van Houten said outside Province House on Wednesday night.

"I think there is place where we can find a solution but it just doesn't seem like the two parties can come to an agreement, and it's very frustrating to be an outsider."

Julianne Hooper

Julianne Hooper teaches Grade 3 and 4 at Springvale Elementary.

She said she hopes the premier will come up with new ideas instead of imposing a contract on teachers.

"I think everybody in every stage of life should have those chances to develop their thinking," Hooper said, adding that she would welcome McNeil "showing us he's really thought about this and come up with some new ideas."

Erica Phillips

Erica Phillips is vice-principal at Sir Charles Tupper Elementary and she also teaches Grade 1.

"We know what we need as teachers in our classroom to have our students be more successful and we just need that implemented now," Phillips said.

"It's all about the kids for us. Some people think it's not but that's truly what every teacher is. It's all about the kids."