'Crisis? What crisis?'--MacDiarmid flips the bird to the VSB

When the second largest school district in the province sends a letter to the Education Minister requesting an urgent meeting to talk about the chronic financial shortfall facing the Vancouver School Board, it seems reasonable to assume the meeting would happen. Well that’s not the case according to yesterday's dismissive and arrogant letter (see letter) from Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid to the VSB and all associated stakeholder groups including CUPE 15. You would actually think when any school board across B.C. requests a meeting with the Education Minister to talk about keeping our public education system strong a meeting would be set up as soon as possible.   

Is the “Message from the Minister and Accountability Statement” on the BC Government's website anything more than cynical lip service to parents and students?  It’s hard to believe that the Education Minister’s statement that “Our Government wants all children to have access to a high-quality, progressive, and responsive education in British Columbia” isn't just another BC Liberal lie.  

At the end of June when school districts in the province finalize their budgets we will see if the BC Liberal Government really is committed to students and public education.  The Liberals will either ensure that all school boards have adequate and sustainable funding or they'll continue to slash away at their budgets. Will public schools thrive or all suffer the proverbial "death of a thousand cuts"? Time will tell.    

In the meantime, let's continue to do all we can to make the BC Liberals understand how important this issue is.