With education every drop counts

Dear Editor: Apropos your editorial regarding the national convention for school trustees in Halifax (Courier, Sept. 15), it seems to me we are all missing a major point.

What actually did these trustees get from this convention that will benefit our schools, our teachers, or our students?

The argument from the trustees is that such conventions are ever useful and offer ideas and guidance and options, etc, that might be useful elsewhere in the country.

Furthermore what wonderful ideas did any of our three representatives bring to the convention to offer other school trustees?

I understand Julia Fraser is set to make a public summation of the convention at the Sept. 26 board meeting.

Is there some reason only one of the gallivanting trustees is offering their view on this convention? Has any summation yet been given to the remainder of the board members?

If something epic or even marginally useful for our school district was unveiled at this convention, would it not have been wise to begin planning its introduction and possible implementation well before the school year began, and certainly before a new board would be elected?

Halifax is a beautiful and historic city, one which I have enjoyed visiting on more than one occasion.

I trust our trustees enjoyed their junket on my nickel and yours. Ten thousand dollars is indeed only a drop in the bucket of the overall school budget.

However, every little drop matters, and that excuse wears awfully thin very quickly as it is used to justify constant unnecessary expenditures, which over very little time deplete the funds available for the actual education of our children. Susan Shawlee West Kelowna