Power & Privilege within the Rating System of #OntEd Teacher Salary grid:

I am thinking about the fact that your first rating statement from QECO or OSSTF and whether you land in A2 or A3 has to do with your Bachelor's grades. This affects your salary grid start.

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Essentially 2 people, both with a Bachelors in Education and Arts/Science/Otherwise can start at different levels --usually A2 or A3 depending on length/"rigour" of the program and overall grades and grade point average.

To a difference of $5000 to begin with

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I did extremely well in university. I had a lot of privilege and I never needed to worry about my tuition. I had no dependents. I had time to study. It was very easy for me to maintain a high grade point average and get good grades.

My privilege gave me good grades.

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My friends who paid / pay for every cent, who constantly worried about tuition, who took care of dependents (parents/siblings/children) do not have the same privilege.

They did not have time to study to the level that I did.

They worked x times as hard as I did.

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If they apply to QECO with a lower grade point average they might start their first year of teaching at A2 and making $5000 less than I did when I started. They have less money at their disposal to get AQs and move up the pay grid.

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And the grand irony of it all????

My grades in university do NOT make me a better teacher. If I got in A in Old English literature - it does not make me a better teacher than the person who got a C.

Why are our university grades tied to the pay grid???

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It is an entirely FALSE notion that a teacher candidate with better grades will be a better teacher somehow and deserves to be paid more at the start of their career. $5000 more...

A TC with better grades, like myself, might simply have had more privilege, $$, time.

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Whoever initially decided to set up the grid this way - ehem - we know who -- did so in a way that intentionally pushes out people with less privilege from applying to the field of education as teachers.

This is why our edu system is filled with people with more privilege...

When only people with privilege - who can go through 5-6 years of school to obtain two bachelors - whose grades make a difference to their starting salary - whose privilege is compounded over time in more $$ for AQ = more salary --- no wonder it is difficult for BIPOC to get in..

We need to critically look at QECO pay scale starting with grades. It is a practice inherent on keeping power with people who already have privilege.

I am the minority of BIPOC whose class privilege allowed me to get into education. Many friends could not afford to be teachers.

In case you're curious as to how a person's Starting Rating statement is determined -- please read the QECO chart here.

Both OSSTF and ETFO now apply to the QECO chart for their rating scale. More people to care = more possibility to change this. http://qeco.on.ca/?page_id=276 

.. @osstf @ETFOeducators if you care about anti-racism - your leadership at the top should be doing something about this.

In terms of local organizing; I'd love to see local chapters @OSSTFD19 @etfopeel who lead in anti-racist commitments to lead on advocating for changes here.