Teachers advised by union to keep report card comments to bare minimum

Ontario education workers will be in legal strike position as of Sept. 23, as their union took the first step Thursday toward job action. (file photo)

The union representing Ontario's elementary school teachers has advised its members to keep their report-card comments to a minimum.

The teachers are in the midst of a standoff with the province over Bill 115 -- a controversial plan to freeze wages, cut benefits and make teacher strikes illegal. As a result, many teachers in protest have withdrawn from voluntary duties, such as coaching or running clubs.

However, Valerie Dugale, spokesperson for the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, told CTV News that the advice on reports cards is just that: advice.

She said the union advises members each year on how to handle progress reports, but ultimately it's up to the individual teachers to decide how much they write.