I emailed this to these folks on Easter Sunday 2014.
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To Ms Clark, Mr. Fassender and Mr de Jong,
I am writing to you three regarding funding for Education. I am, honestly, spitting mad and I am working hard to stay focused, logical and professional. I am currently the PAC Chair at Hudson Elementary in Vancouver and I’ve had 5 years in this role and have some experience with the school system beyond just being a dopey parent.
I also have met you, Christy, at a child’s birthday at a bowling alley before you returned to politics. I think of you first as a Mom.
Anyway, enough personal background. It seems every school board is struggling.
http://www.canada.com/mobile/iphone/story.html?id=92495136-000d-4f35-a2a2-29048afe1a8e
You three are part of the problem. Finance Minister: how does it make sense to raise MSP rates, negotiate/legislate a contract with teachers and others, then not cover the increase? You are the funding source. If you raise a cost, you must cover the cost. My employer covered the MSP cost and either raised prices or found savings or took a hit on profit. In the case of a public servant like a teacher, there’s no business model underneath where school boards can raise taxes or reduce costs without impacting the children.
How do you three not see this?
My theory is that you think the school boards have hidden pet projects like studying the effects of gamma rays on children’s minds during recess. I think after all the budget cuts that have happened in the past few years, all the pet projects are gone. If you come to my daughter’s school you’ll find nothing much left except the classroom teachers. (I won’t even tell you how bad the bathrooms are.) Worse, there’s insufficient support for kids with special needs. (I know of one family leaving due to lack of capacity to support a common learning disability.)
I urge the three of you to spot politicking. Don’t balance the budget on the backs of children. If the school boards are mis-managing the money, as your behaviour indicates, then dive into the school boards’ books, find the problem and fix it.
I suspect however, you will find an education system that’s starved for funds to cover the basics.
If you don’t invest in education, you better invest more in law enforcement and prisons.
Please, don’t write me back, cover the cost increases you are trying to pass to the School Boards.
– Rob.
