There is not enough money to properly run the school district.
Quesnel’s Board of Education, along with several of it’s education partners, delivered that message today during a press conference.
Trustees, Teachers, CUPE workers, Principals and Vice-Principals and the District’s Parent Advisory Council were call represented.
Board Chair Tony Goulet says they are extremely frustrated because even after closing three schools they are still faced with a deficit.
He says “instead of being able to add services back to the system after closing schools they are forced to make further cuts of 324 thousand dollars”, which he says “may directly impact students.”
Goulet says they are demanding that the Liberal Government reverse its decisions to cut administration by more than 370 thousand dollars over the past two years as well as downloading the cost of an internet access upgrade and a wage increase for exempt staff onto Boards.
All tolled that adds up to more than 800 thousand dollars.
The Board is already looking at more cuts in the following school year and Gloria Jackson, the Board’s Vice Chair, says there is nothing left to cut but staff.
As for what else the Board can do…Jackson says they plan to ask for a meeting with the Education Minister and she also says the BC School Trustees Association plan to be very active during the next election.
The Board is also hoping that the public will get behind them.