The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Wedding night advice

High school and elementary teachers in Ontario have abandoned talks with the McGuinty government. “Right now, unless we see a revised position from the government, then we won’t be returning to the table,” commented Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation president Ken Coran, on April 23. High school teachers filed a legal challenge over the government’s approach to collective bargaining after the government, without negotiating with teachers, tabled an offer that would freeze teacher pay for two years and end teachers’ retirement payouts for unused sick days. Premier Dalton McGuinty hopes teachers will return to the table. “Some of the best political advice I ever got, I got from my mother on my wedding day,” said McGuinty. “She said, ‘Whatever happens, keep talking,’ so I say to my friends the teachers … and everybody with whom we are going to have to engage in difficult conversations, that it’s important we keep talking.”

Prom night advice

High school students attending graduation proms in the United States will be sporting more than just boutonnieres and corsages thanks to NV Healthcare, LLC. The manufacturer of NuVo Condoms is offering free prophylactics to high school students before their school prom. The company’s literature states: ­“According to recent reports, one in five seventeen-year-olds plan to have sex for the first time on prom night. … About one in two pregnancies in America are unplanned.” In a media release, company spokesperson Behn Goldis commented: “We are always looking for creative ways to spread the word about safe sex to impact the growth in STDs and unplanned pregnancy. We know that many high school students are engaging in unprotected sex and prom is often the time when unprotected sex takes place. We really want to bring awareness of safe sex practices and want to provide our product as a way to create awareness of safe sex.” The company said it “is not condoning sex for teenagers at prom but would like to make sure that all students are being safe and protected.” This is the second year that the company is providing free condoms.