Parents urge VSB to reject budget with $24 million in cuts
Posted April 25, 2016 10:50 pm.
Last Updated April 25, 2016 11:22 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Just days before the Vancouver School Board votes on a 2016/2017 budget proposal, trustees are once again getting an earful over cuts to meet a $25 million funding shortfall.
A list of 38 presenters signed up to speak to cuts of various programs and positions during a public meeting held at Tupper Secondary School Monday. It was the latest of several public input sessions.
Public education advocates are urging trustees to reject the budget when they vote later this week.
“We’ve had enough and we know where the problem lies and it’s coming from the province,” parent advocate Jennifer Stewart tells NEWS 1130.
“It is really going to come home to people, who is responsible for all the cuts we’ve seen over the last 15 years.”
One of the cut positions former students spoke up for Monday was the role of the Anti-homophobia Coordinator.
“Without an authoritative position that is sponsored by the Vancouver School Board, we’re putting trans and queer students in a state of trepidation. We’re at a time right now where there is still a lot of marginalization happening and a lot of bullying,” former student Andy says.
Some other cuts causing alarm are the elimination of band and strings, gifted programs, librarian positions, part-time homeschool teachers and Mandarin immersion.
The board will decide whether to pass its reduced $480-million budget Thursday.
A rejection could open the door for the Education minster to dissolve the board and install a proxy.
