School District 57 and the board of trustees are making headlines again this year, but I think it would be useful to see how different this looks from last year.
Last year parents, community members and stakeholders were trying anything and everything to be heard in response to the staggering budget deficit and the single plan to address it put forward by the District Sustainability Committee.
This year we are addressing the issue of a $500,000 deficit in transportation that was brought forward during last year's consultations.
This is not a new situation, but the current issue being addressed. This time trustees are asking for options.
Public consultation will be part of determining what should happen, not just what we think of a proposed plan. I believe we should all applaud the district and trustees in how far we have come.
This is an indication that learning is taking place at all levels of the district, not just in the classroom.
So far the issue of charging for all bussing has taken center stage, but this hasn't even taken shape as a true recommendation yet. The questions surrounding transportation are bigger than simply charging a fee for bussing.
Some of the issues are: What level of service is funded? What level of service is appropriate? If the appropriate level of service is more than that which is funded, where does the revenue come from? And that's just a starting point.
So before we start deciding whether any idea is good or bad, let's ensure we are all well informed about what the issues are and what the solutions will mean.
Gillian Burnett
Prince George
