McGuinty asks teachers not to take anger out on students

Updated The premier says teachers shouldn’t put students in the middle of their fight with his government.

McGuinty admits teachers and the government have hit what he calls “a bit of a rough patch”, but says he can’t accept any decision by teachers to stop supervising clubs and coaching sports teams after school – saying extracurricular activities are important to students and their families.

“There is a disagreement with how the legislature moved with respect to education but let’s keep that between ourselves. Let’s find a way to build a bridge and get beyond that.”

NDP leader Andrea Horwath said McGuinty’s teacher legislation has backfired on his government and will cause the province to go into more debt. “We have kids who are suffering in the classroom, and turmoil in the classroom as a result of this legislation.”

“Everybody loses, there is no winner here and not even the government, because they didn’t win the seat in Kitchener-Waterloo, which is what this whole thing was about.”

The two biggest unions representing elementary and secondary school teachers are urging their members to withdraw from any voluntary activities as a sign of protest.

Video: Brittany Gogo reports: