How One Business Woman is Showing Support for Teachers

Many of us who are no longer teaching but have been teachers were shocked by how the government has treated its public school teachers this year and how education in the public sector has been underfunded for many years.  One woman who felt that way was Susan Braverman, owner of a well known BC business, The Flag Shop.  

She posted this post in the Facebook page BC Voters That Support BC Public School Teachers on September 6.

"I am a former teacher who owns The Flag Shop and I am disgusted with the lack of respect that our teachers, the people we've entrusted to educate our children, are receiving. I can't walk the picket lines with you or protest at your rallies, but I CAN make you flags for those who ARE on the front lines, fighting for our children's education. Everyone who is not a teacher can do something to help. This isn't just the teachers' fight, and yet they are the ones who can't make their mortgage payments because they are standing up for what IS right. And if anyone doesn't believe that the teachers are the heroes here or that they are being selfish and greedy, then they don't have all the facts. I would have lost my home by now had I not left teaching to take over my mother's business. And now it's time for me to stand WITH our teachers and SHOW them know that their fight is NOT in vain! Please email me at president@flagshop.com because I am ready to help."

She was given thanks and lots of ideas.  This is what happened next by this Monday.

"A few updates about products.

First of all, check out what our window is going to look like on Powell Street. It should be up by tomorrow.

The first batch of our bumper stickers will be ready on Wednesday afternoon. We will be selling them in the store for the general public, with proceeds going back to the teachers.

Our car flags will be printed tomorrow. We will start having stock available a couple of days later.

We are trying to get our paper stick flags made as quickly as possible. These have to get distributed to all the school districts as soon as they are made.

Buttons and tattoos are coming too. The tattoos are for the kids to wear. The message will be something like "We miss our teachers" or "I miss my teacher". My "think tank" hasn't met about this yet.

I will need a way to make sure that everything we are donating gets distributed. Once we are ready to look at this, we may have those discussions on our new Facebook page called The Flag Shop Supports BC Teachers. I don't know if it's public yet. But it will be.

What day. I haven't done any "real" work. This still isn't work, it's FUN. And it's absolutely necessary! I am horrified that more businesses haven't come forward and offered their services. Grumble grumble."

And later yesterday…

"I am having 2500 bumper stickers made. They are 3" x 10" (slightly narrower I think). On Wednesday, at the end of the day, I will have 600 ready, and then the remaining 1900 will be ready by late Friday afternoon. My new favourite project is starting to get costly, so I want to make sure that:

1) Every teacher in BC who wants a bumper sticker gets one for free; AND

2) Be able to sell these to the public. They will be $5.00 each, including taxes, and once my costs are covered, all the proceeds for these will go to the teachers.

Since I've never done this before (not quite like this), I'm not sure how many to put aside for teachers and how many to have available in the store.

With the first batch of 600, which will be available late Wednesday afternoon, would it make sense to put 500 bumper sticks aside for the teachers, and then keep 100 in the store, to sell to the public? And what will be the best way to get these 500 distributed?

And then there is going to be remaining 1900 bumper decals. I will also want to make sure that a good portion of these are given to teachers for free, and yet still have some to sell in the store. And then this batch, the ones for the teachers will need to be distributed as well.

And now that I have THREE ways for people to contact me - this group, our The Flag Shop Supports BC Teachers group, and my new SupportBCTeachers@flagshop.com email address, I'm even busier than I was yesterday. 

Suggestions please!

And I think I'm going to need a volunteer to be one of the administrators for our new Facebook page, and when there is important information that I should have, that it be forwarded to me in an email. Volunteers?

Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!"

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All in all rather amazing!