General Voting Day is next week (May 14) and School District 51, the Boundary District Teachers’ Association and the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 2098 sent an education-related questionnaire to Boundary-Similkameen candidates.
Candidates were asked the following questions:
1) How will you/your party/government work to strengthen the co-governance relationship between boards of education and government?
2) Will you/your party/government commit to predictable and stable funding, which includes the annual addition of dollars to address costs for negotiated salary increases, increasing infrastructure expenses and provincial program implementation?
3) What is your position on free collective bargaining for the public education sector?
4) How will your government recognize and support education workers such as education assistants, custodians, bus drivers, maintenance and clerical staff in terms of a) funding whole jobs that support families and communities and b) allow for a high level of collaboration between teachers and classroom support workers?
Here is a statement from Green Party of BC candidate John Kwasnica:
The Green Party is aware that the two arms of the political establishment in B.C. will square off on opposite ends of the tax and spend debate in education and elsewhere.
Professional services and education are both a benefit and a burden.
Today, individual school districts can only spend what the province funds.
In a Green government, local school authorities would be free to develop curriculums specific to their needs.
Professionals and education could fulfill their career mission of preparing the young for the challenges of the future.
Academic goals may give way to specific skills training – the kind of education that will prepare us to deal with challenges of global warming and climate change.