I woke up to the radio, like I do most mornings, and the topic of choice: The OPSEU Strike. Todd Shapiro, co host of Edge102.1 FM descended upon George Brown Castleloma campus with some pissed off students.

I for one am against teacher strikes, I'm against any strike that hold the paying public accountable, and in fact, college/university teacher strikes are particularly brutal! Students (most who can't even form a complete sentance or are still too young to articulate why they are angry in the first place) are paying exhorbitant tuition fees, most of which they can't even afford, are forced to endure their education on hold.

Holding Students Hostage IS NOT THE ANSWER!

Why? As a student who experience a 3 week strike at Mount Allison University, I received no compensation! We, the students, requested an elongated school year to make up for the time lost. We were denied! We received no rebate, we got nothing except for exams when class let back in. The majority failed, we had no instruction to supplement our book study!

The basic fact, most teachers are not there for the students. It's a sad reality and it's one that hurts. Students pay fees to pay for salaries so they can learn.

Students have entered into a contract in which the university agreed upon. The contract is one that states that for moneys received services will be due. This is the same when you buy a bag of bread and it's stale when you get home, you can return it. When you buy a ticket to a concert hall, if the show is cancelled the public needs to be refunded. WHY ARE STUDENTS LESS ELIGIBLE FOR A REFUND WHEN THEY PAY THOUSANDS NOT DOLLARS?!

The problem, students have no strong union to assist them to hold universities accountable for the irrepairable damage that can occur. But, the only way this would work, would be to with hold tuition payment.

My damage? I failed Archeology class and my GPA dropped. I was thankful I was in music at the time, we were a small faculty filled with uber keen students so I couldn't sit in the library, but, I could chill with students about to graduate and pique their brains.

However, I recognize that not all students are like that, and they should not be expected to fend for themselves for education. ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE PAYING FOR IT!

I could go on for ages on this topic, but, students, not teachers, are being violated right now. And the teachers will not be held accountable and that makes me furious!

I wish I could get to the Castleloma campus and educate the educators!!