There has been a letter to the editor forming in my mind ever since I read an article in the Vancouver Sun last weekend. It was entitled "Upending public education's pillars." It rang very true for me that the government's education plan seems to be, impoverishing it, neutering any critics and centralizing control.
The impoverishment is well underway. For the past three years, funding was capped at less than inflation and over the coming three years the government has said that $137 million more must be cut, and has said there will be no extra money to cover higher MSP premiums for staff, or for districts to cover hydro rate increases. The government has just rolled out the "education amendment act," which translates into trustees having less power under this new legislation. That's the "neutering critics" part.
Minister Fassbender has given a glimpse into how he will handle critics. He is paying $180,000 to hire a special advisor to tell Vancouver trustees how to cut almost $15 million from their budget. If a board refuses to follow the advisors' direction, the entire board can be replaced with a hand-picked administrator. That's the "centralize control" part.
B.C.'s public education system is ranked as one of the best in the world and it is in serious jeopardy. Not only trustees need to create public awareness about these serious cuts. We need to all sit up and take notice. The education of our children is all of our future and we need to let the government know that the proposed cuts are unacceptable.
Betty Bekkering
Prince George
