Twitter tiff erupts between BC Green leader and BCTF

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The BC Green Party and the BC Teachers’ Federation are squabbling over social media leading the BCTF president to say Andrew Weaver is not acting like someone who should be running for premier.

“We have never experienced something like this with someone from the BC Liberals or the BC NDP, even in the height of job action or in the dispute with the government over unconstitutional legislation,” says BCTF President Glen Hansman. “Somebody who is an adult and running to become an elected representative in our legislative assembly, ought to know better.”

Hansman says the federation has reached out to the teacher involved to make sure she is doing okay.

He says if Weaver isn’t willing to apologize, there needs to be a change in behaviour.

“I’m not going to advise him about what to do in a campaign. We’re concerned about the ongoing demeaning attack on an individual teacher on social media. It needs to stop.”

Andrew Weaver released the following response to NEWS 1130 about the story.

“I have been fielding weeks of coordinated online antagonism over a member’s account of what took place during a meeting at my legislative office. Frankly, it seems like they were in a different meeting than I was. In my opinion the meeting was respectful and productive. Why anyone whose primary role is to advocate for public education would want to attack the party offering the largest investment in public education is a little baffling to me. In 2014 during the teacher’s strike, I stood on the steps of the BC Legislature and promised to make education the BC Greens’ number one priority. I am proud to have followed through with that promise, offering the most significant investment in public education of any of the three parties running in this election. Educating the next generation is the most important job in our society. I am proud that over one fifth of the BC Greens candidates — including myself — are educators that hold this value above all else.”