The first volley has been shot over the bow of the provincial government this week in what had been little more than a simmering cold war for the last six months.

The three-day teacher strike has been the talk of the town, though there seems to be no talking going on between the goverment and the B.C. TeachersB次元官网网址� Federation.

Both sides have been waging intense public relations campaigns for the hearts and minds of British Columbians. But as is said about any war, the first casualty is the truth.

The rhetoric making the rounds has done little to accurately portray the reality of the situation facing our schools.

The biggest gripe against teachers is the claim theyB次元官网网址檙e demanding a massive wage hike and are unwilling to budge an inch. However, BCTF president Susan Lambert told the B次元官网网址 that the well-publicized demand for a 15 per cent raise is a B次元官网网址渞ed herring.B次元官网网址�

The number is up for negotiation, though Lambert was adamant that whatever the B次元官网网址渞ealB次元官网网址� number turns out to be is something that will only be hammered out at the table.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education sent out a B次元官网网址渇act sheetB次元官网网址� on Sunday to bust some of the B次元官网网址渕ythsB次元官网网址� being spread about the state of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 school system.

One curious statement suggests increasing teachers wages will cost taxpayers $2 billion. The math must get a little complicated as the entire budget for B.C. schools is less than $4 billion. Even if teachersB次元官网网址� salaries make up half the budget, a 15 per cent wage hike wonB次元官网网址檛 directly add up to $2 billion.

Right now, the true cost of this labour dispute are being borne by parents and kids who should be in school. How the lost time in class will affect students might never be known.

What we do know is that, in this fight, the government has the bigger guns and will eventually allow it to give teachers B次元官网网址渁 deal they canB次元官网网址檛 refuse.B次元官网网址�