Vanderhoof may not be in School District 57 but it's problems are likely common provincially.
After a very successful first season, my 11-year-old grandson learned his band teacher had moved out of town, after her part-time contract expired.
This was a blow to the newer students who wanted to continue last year's lessons and to the more senior students in the district who had fundraised diligently in previous years for appearances in possibly Cuba and definitely Ottawa.
A new instructor hasn't been found.
Parents who bought or rented equipment are out money and the already raised travel funds - well, who will decide where that goes?
The government's new concept of trades specialization, as well as its anti-union stance, has left school boards with inadequate funding to train specialized instructors, especially in the arts and sport fields.
Even back east my son chose a new vocation, insurance actuarial work, over the one he loved, teaching at a university, because the only teaching job he got was a one-semester only contract, renewable - but only at the last minute.
A couple of years ago CBC had a special on the plight of highly trained post-doctoral students traveling constantly and, usually at their own expense, to teach single lessons at widely separated universities.
Rather than reducing it, this practice likely increases their overall student debt. Current government practices are depleting the best teaching staffs.
It's time the provincial government turned education around to where it was, a respected well-paid field, broadly based, promoting young ingenious minds. Education shouldn't be a constant door-to-door fundraising movement by kids (and teachers), trying to excel in athletics, music, as well as taking part in geographical and historically important field trips and such.
Alan Martin
Prince George
