41,370 children, one in four, live in poverty in Nova Scotia. For children under six that number is actually almost one in three! Educators for Social Justice want child poverty to get the attention it deserves during the election campaign and at the voting booth.

The Educators for Social Justice – Nova Scotia (ESJ-NS) and the Nova Scotia Parents for Public Education (NSPPE) have just released their Manifesto for Progressive Public Education which identifies four major threats to progressive public education in this province: the weakening of community engagement, the impact of austerity, the weakening of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union and the influence of right-wing think tanks.

On Saturday, parents, teachers, students, and community members will gather in Halifax for a day of learning and discussion at the Social Justice Education Symposium. The teacher-organized event includes workshops and panel discussions ranging from climate change to supporting African Nova Scotian learners.

Media release: Educators for Social Justice is concerned about the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies’ (AIMS) efforts to capitalize on the Nova Scotia Liberal government’s recent education reforms. “Teachers have been saying all along that schools are not a business,” said Dr. Pamela Rogers, a PhD in education and English teacher at Charles P. Allen High School in Bedford. “AIMS’ represents the wealthiest business interests in Nova Scotia. There is zero diversity on its board of directors. Their record shows they are much more concerned with standardized testing and getting businesses access to public schools, than they are with quality, well-rounded education and increasing equity in school programs.”