This past Tuesday a majority of Vancouver City Council passed a motion to support the Vancouver Board of Education in their fight for adequate funding for Vancouver schools. You can read the text of the motion here.
Despite impassioned pleas from myself, other councillors and the Mayor, Councillor Suzanne Anton clung to a partisan position and voted against the motion, saying that School Trustees were "whiny" and she didn't know enough about education to make an informed decision. Not that she needs to be a former school trustee as I am but after eight years in elected office in Vancouver, it's hard to believe she doesn't know something about education issues.
It's too bad as the issue of education has been held hostage to partisan posturing for way too long. The cuts to Vancouver's schools started with the Socreds, accelerated under the NDP, and have continued under the BC Liberals.
It's time for the cuts to stop and it's your voice that can make that happen. There are eight days left before the Vancouver Board of Education has to pass a budget. Raise your voice, speak out and stand up for kids and families in the city by writing to the Minister of Education, Margaret MacDiarmid at minister.educ@gov.bc.ca or call the Minister at 250 387-1977.
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