A ruling by The B. C. Labour Relations Board Sunday reiterates, it is part of a teacher's job to continue to administer the controversial standardized tests, known as Foundation Skills Assessment tests.

Since long, The B. C. Teachers Federation (BCTF) has been advising teachers not to administer them, as the teachers' union believed them to be a waste of time. However, the labour board has ruled, any refusal to administer the tests would be tatamount to an illegal strike with consequences.

The FSA tests given in Grades 4 and 7 to children across B. C., have become controversial since certain organizations feel, the right-wing Fraser Institute makes unfair use of them to rank schools on an annual basis.

Earlier this year, the Vancouver School Board mailed letters to parents outlining how parents can have their children exempted based on illness, vacation or undefined 'extenuating circumstances', and thus avoid taking the tests.

Irene Lanzinger from the BCTF says a teachers meeting will be held to discuss how the ruling is to be dealt with, as teachers' professional autonomy that allows them '.the right to say we're not going to do something that is harmful to our students and to public education .', has not happened. The teachers union confirms, a decision will be taken by Wednesday, on how best to proceed with the ruling.

Bringing the matter before the LRB, the B. C. Public School Employers Association (BCPSEA) says it had no option but to do so, after their advisories went unheeded by teachers. And, BCPSEA CEO Hugh Finlayson says he is pleased about the LRB's ruling, stressing: 'This is your work, teachers, and you need to fulfill the obligations the School Act requires'.