Editor:
Minister of Education Mike Bernier has announced $1 million in new funding for students with special needs – only at certain specialized private schools in B.C. The funds will provide $2,000 to support each qualified student. Why are private schools that already charge thousands of dollars for tuition getting more? Why are public schools left out? By creating a funding scheme for private programs, the government contravenes principles of inclusion and fair access for children with special needs and promotes two-tiered exclusive education in British Columbia. Public schools require increased funds in order to provide programs for children with special needs.
The new funding helps only a few families in the Metro Vancouver and South Vancouver Island regions. It leaves local students without access and increases urban/rural inequities across the province. On the Sunshine Coast we are experiencing an increased number of students with special needs in classrooms and decreased funds for their education.
With a $1.9-billion surplus, it is high time for this provincial government to reinvest significantly in quality public schools so all students have equitable access to required supports and education. B.C. needs to keep public funds for public schools; one need not look far beyond the province to see this basic principle being upheld.
Louise Herle, president, Sunshine Coast Teachers’ Association
