Declining enrolment was a myth

Re: “School board votes to close Sundance,” March 29.

School District 61 trustees know better than to use the myth of declining enrolment as an excuse to close Sundance.

The temporary dip in enrolment of less than seven per cent ended in 2007. Enrolment has been increasing ever since. By 2016, the system will be packed because the echo-boom began in earnest in 2005.

This government told districts that if they wanted money for new schools or maintenance they must “bring money to the table,” hence forcing school closures and land sales. Why did the B.C. Liberals do this? To create the illusion of a bal- anced budget while cutting capital funding to the bone.

In 2003, deep cuts to special needs, counsellors and librarians came down. I urged trustees to unite the community and advocate. “Tell the B.C. Liberals to fulfil their constitutional obligation to public education. Adapting to abuse and neglect will only engender more in the future. We will back you.”

This administration (as did many cashstrapped boards) reconfigured the district and shrank catchments like Sundance and Fairburn, thereby causing the lower enrolment in certain schools targeted for sale or lease.

The forced sale of more than 85 public schools means there are now children across B.C. spending all of elementary school in portables.

Alas, the majority five trustees never fulfilled the advocacy part of their mandate. And the cuts continue. Jessica Van der Veen Victoria