Résumés
Abstract
Public opinion toward teachers and other public sector workers is an important factor in Ontario provincial politics. This article uses public opinion data to measure, and identify the correlates of, resentment and admiration of these groups, and to identify the relationship between these attitudes and support for political parties in Ontario. Survey data from over 4,000 Ontarians, collected at the time of the 2022 provincial election, show that Ontarians have greater admiration for, and less resentment toward, teachers than toward other provincial government workers. The data also reveal several factors related to these attitudes, including comparative assessments of compensation and workload, and relationships with members of these groups. Finally, the data show that attitudes toward teachers, but not other public sector workers, are related to provincial vote choice, with negative attitudes toward teachers predicting PC Party support. Teachers are clearly a more salient “target” of resentment in Ontario provincial politics. These findings have implications for educational policy and the tactics of teacher unions.
Keywords:
- Teachers and public sector workers,
- Resentment and admiration,
- Public opinion,
- Provincial politics,
- Ontario
Résumé
L’opinion publique à l’égard des enseignants et des autres travailleurs du secteur public est un facteur important dans la politique provinciale de l’Ontario. Cet article utilise des données tirées de l’opinion publique pour mesurer et identifier les corrélats du ressentiment et de l’admiration envers ces groupes, et pour identifier la relation entre ces attitudes et le soutien aux partis politiques en Ontario. Les données d’un sondage, mené auprès de plus de 4 000 électeurs ontariens lors des élections provinciales de 2022, montrent que les Ontariens ressentent une plus grande admiration et moins de ressentiment envers les enseignants qu’à l’égard des autres travailleurs du gouvernement provincial. Les données révèlent également plusieurs facteurs associés à ces attitudes — notamment des évaluations comparatives de la rémunération et de la charge de travail — et aux relations avec les membres de ces groupes. Enfin, les données montrent qu’il existe un lien entre les attitudes envers les enseignants et le choix au vote provincial, mais pas avec les autres travailleurs du secteur public, les attitudes négatives envers les enseignants prédisant le soutien du Parti PC. Manifestement, les enseignants sont une « cible » plus saillante du ressentiment dans la politique provinciale de l’Ontario. Ces résultats ont des implications pour la politique éducative et les tactiques des syndicats d’enseignants.
Mots-clés :
- enseignants et travailleurs du secteur public,
- ressentiment et admiration,
- opinion publique,
- politique provinciale,
- Ontario
Parties annexes
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