Dear Trustees
of the Board of Education:
Thank you for
writing a letter to Minister Fassbender and Mr. Iker regarding the current
state of negotiations. Public education is suffering and the situation has
become very difficult for all who are involved. I also sincerely hope that a
mediator will be found to help resolve this dispute.
I have taken
some time to read through Successful
Governance to gain a better understanding of a school trustee's role and of
the guiding principles. Under the "Provincial Context" section, it
states the following principle that "Public education in Canada has been
the great equalizer. Public education has been the means by which people of
diverse languages, cultures and social and economic circumstance have been
integrated into Canadian society with some reasonable aspirations to equality
of opportunity." Furthermore, it states that "our commitment to
public education - open and available to all members of our society - is the
key element in shaping the way our society has evolved and will continue to
change." It also states that "Public education in Canada is a
provincial responsibility."
Keeping these
principles in mind, I submit to you that public education in British Columbia
is being threatened by government policies that have illegally reduced funding,
increased class sizes and decreased support for all students, whether they are
average, gifted, or in need of specialized support. When a family must wait two
or more years for their child to receive psychoeducational testing because they
cannot afford to pay for it privately, their child suffers greatly. When
children do not receive adequate support from their classroom teacher because
there are too many students and needs, those children suffer. Public education
as "the great equalizer" is under threat. The current government has
distanced itself from its "provincial responsibility" for public
education.
According to Successful Governance, I understand the
challenging role of school trustees to maintain constructive working
relationships with the district, community, and government. However, the very
principles upon which your jobs are founded, public education for all, are at
risk. I challenge you to stand up for public education! I challenge you to
speak to the media regarding the inadequate funding you must allocate every
year. I challenge you to visit teachers on the picket lines to show that you
also believe in education as "the great equalizer."
Yes, our
students are worth it! I believe a
negotiated agreement will be obtained much faster if groups such as yours stand
up for better funding for public education. I look forward to your response.
Respectfully
submitted,
