Dear Parents,

From time to time, the PAC posts items that we think are relevant to a large number of Ross Road parents. This is one such time.

Once again, the BC teachers are involved in a job action conflict with the BC Government and once again, this is a difficult time for everyone. As a parent group, our mandate is to support students and teachers at our school. While we may or may not agree with teachers’ job action and the current strike action, we can see the effects of budget cuts over the last several years. As a middle-of-the-road PAC, our resources are being stretched thinner and thinner as we try to provide the things that in the past were a part of the government’s budget for schools. Examples from Ross Road include: library books, laptops, iPads, projectors for classrooms, art supplies and gym equipment.

As we all know, the strength and health of our society depends to no small degree on the investment we place in public education. If we do not prepare for the future through quality education for all today, we will not be able to maintain our standard and quality of living tomorrow, when today’s students will be responsible for society as leaders, workers, teachers, thinkers and health care workers. What sort of society do we want our children to grow up in? What sort of society to we want to grow old in? That is the central issue!

If you want to write a letter to MLA Ms Thornthwaite, click here to view a (very informative) sample letter that you are welcome to copy or cut-and-paste from.

Some brief facts:

• BC has the second lowest per student funding levels in all of Canada.
• Teachers can give more individual attention to students in smaller classes.
• The Supreme Court of BC recently ruled that the BC Government must return class sizes and composition to 2001 levels and allow the BCTF to negotiate these as part of their working conditions in contracts with the government.
• The BC Government is appealing this decision….again.
• Government claims that teachers’ demands require a 20% increase in funding. However these changes include the court ruling mentioned above; Some of that 20% is actually what the courts required.

Here are some helpful email and web address links:

Ms. Jane Thornthwaite, MLA for North Vancouver-Seymour
Email: jane.thornthwaite.mla@leg.bc.ca
Web page: http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/40thParl/thornthwaite-Jane.htm

Ms. Naomi Yamamoto, MLA for North Vancouver-Lonsdale
Email: naomi.yamamoto.mla@leg.bc.ca
Web page: http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/40thParl/yamamoto-Naomi.htm

Hon. Peter Fassbender, Minister of Education
Email: peter.fassbender.mla@leg.bc.ca
Web page: http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/40thparl/fassbender-Peter.htm

Hon. Christy Clark, Premier
Email: premier@gov.bc.ca
Web page: http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/40thparl/clark-Christy.html

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Sincerely,

Ross Road PAC.