A special meeting of the board of education for School District 63 (Saanich) has been called for this afternoon, to discuss class funding issues.
The District is facing after it did not receive all of the money it had asked the province for, in order to comply with the Supreme Court of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 ruling that the B.C. government had to restore class sizes to pre-2002 levels. Earlier this year, the District stated it was almost $1 million short of meeting that requirement, and that the elimination of some staff and teaching positions was inevitable without adequate funding.
Don Peterson, president of the Saanich TeachersB次元官网网址� Association (STA), says it appears the Saanich School District has not been treated the same as other districts in the Greater Victoria region.
B次元官网网址淩ecently, the Victoria board said it was going to spend $1.2 million on laptops and devices for students,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 wonder how they have that extra money when some schools here (in District 63) might have to close some computer labs to have room for extra students.B次元官网网址�
Those extra students, he explained, are coming out of the court ruling, which reinstated smaller class sizes. That has had the effect of creating more classes B次元官网网址� and increased the demand for more teachers.
The Sooke school district, Peterson added, asked for $3 million more on top of its $7 million for the restored learning and working conditions, and received it from the province. Peterson said Saanich had asked for $5.3 million, plus an extra $1.2 million to meet the stipulations of the court ruling B次元官网网址� but that money didnB次元官网网址檛 come.
He said Lochside school in this district is looking at pushing non-enrolling teachers (mostly support teachers) B次元官网网址渙ut of classrooms and into the hallwaysB次元官网网址� to make more room for students. Peterson said he doesnB次元官网网址檛 want to take anything away from the districts that did get adequate funding, but wonders why Saanich seems to be treated differently.
B次元官网网址淚t looks like, right now, this district is looking at needing five teachers,B次元官网网址� he said, noting his initial estimation earlier this month was 15.
That would be around $700,000 needed to cover those costs, adding thereB次元官网网址檚 no guarantee that money will come.
Peterson said he thinks there is money available, especially after the BC Liberal government announced millions in surplus funds during its Throne Speech this week.
B次元官网网址淭he Liberal government lost their 15-year battle with teachers,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪omeoneB次元官网网址檚 got to be able to do the job properly.B次元官网网址�
The board of School District 63 (Saanich) is scheduled to this afternoon at 4 p.m. at the District office in Central Saanich.
