Changes to public education stir reaction

Re: Upending public education’s pillars, Column, March 28

Daphne Bramham clearly outlined the intentions of Christy Clark’s Liberal government to disrupt B.C.’s world-class public education.

What I find most disturbing is one of the objects of Bill 11 is to dismantle a foundation of democracy. “Refuse and the minister can replace those democratically-elected trustees with a hand-picked administrator.”

Not only can he fire the trustees if the minister feels it is in the public’s best interest, but those appointed administrators and those the administrator appoints could have their salaries come from the school district to which they are appointed, school districts which are already dealing with massive shortfalls. How will the minister decide what is, and what is not, in the public’s best interest?

I am appalled that any democratically-elected MLA could possibly support this legislation. Perhaps they are worried about being replaced by a hand-picked administrator should they voice any dissent.

British Columbia, the best place on earth? Only if you are a sycophant of the Liberal government.

CATHERINE DIXON

Maple Ridge

There was a time — honestly there was — when B.C. teachers, trustees, and all partners in public education felt respected and valued by the government of the day, even under Social Credit governments. We had disagreements, but our debates moved public education forward to become an enviable system.

But since 2002, as Daphne Bramham correctly reports, B.C.’s Liberal government has been dismantling this enviable public school system.

Adequate supports are no longer in place for special needs students and standards have been lowered so graduates can now move on to post-secondary education having passed only one ministry exam: English.

This is ironic given that Christy Clark’s government has decided that student test scores should be linked to teachers’ salaries and school funding.

And that these test scores will be based not on provincial curriculum developed by educators but on “who-knows-what” questions developed by testing manufacturers.

Bramham is right to wonder “whether anybody cares enough to stop it.”

I wonder whether enough people care about quality public school education to vote for a change in government next time around.

This government couldn’t care less about quality public education.

STARLA ANDERSON,

Victoria

Daphne Bramham’s column outlining the Liberal’s draconian approach to controlling and underfunding the public education system, while increasing support for private schools, should precipitate a high level of alarm among those parents who either cannot afford or do not want to send their children to private schools.

It is clear that in regards to Premier Christy Clark’s social engineering objectives, your children will be the losers, not just in the immediate future but for generations to come.

Bramham’s profile of Clark’s plans for the education system should be a wake-up call for parents — if they are interested enough to listen.

RAY ARNOLD

Richmond

For four months this past summer the B.C. Teachers’ Federation went on strike to support public education. That battle continues in the courts.

Now the government has selected an easier target, the school boards, but slashing funds to the public education system remains its objective and fear is its weapon of choice. The waffling response of the current chairman of the Vancouver Board of Education, in comparison to the past chairman’s comments, for example, clearly shows he has forgotten why he was elected.

We don’t elect our school boards to say nothing while $30 million is cut from the public school budget and handed over to private schools. We don’t elect them to accept passively the threat of a “hand-picked administrator.”

How many of us would have got an education if our parents had to pay fees for private schooling? Not many.

The battle for our children’s education and for the continuation of our democracy is our fight too.

SHIRLEY CAMPBELL

Armstrong