It’s a special edition of For the Record focusing on the state of schools, or should we say the lack of schools in the Royal City. Whether it’s a push to build the long-awaited Simcoe Elementary downtown, a new middle school or a high school in Queensborough, parents and students are fed up with a lack of action on the part of Victoria. The recent BC budget didn’t help matters when it appears NO funding was allocated for Simcoe Elementary – even though the school was promised years ago!
A motion introduced at New West Council on Monday, March 10th focused on providing the School District with support for their capital plan which asked the Ministry of Education to assist with land acquisition to build a new high school in Queensborough. While the motion was heavily watered down, it triggered a very testy debate. One councillor read out a letter from the school board which she interpreted as a message telling her colleagues to ‘buzz off’.
Meanwhile another councillor lectured her colleagues that if they wanted to set priorities for the school board, they should quit council and run there next time. Really? All the motion was calling for was to support a SD40 capital plan ask for a new high school – but did that ask really get made, or not?
After the Monday council meeting, the SD40 trustees then debated the letter Chair Maya Russell had sent to Council which triggered the ‘buzz off’ comment. You’ll be surprised to find out what the school trustees did with that letter and why it now has to be rewritten and sent back to Council to correct the record!
Why is New West so far behind when it comes to school construction given we are the 2nd most densely populated city in Canada? We never even made progress when our local MLA was the Minister of Education and our MP was in a partnership agreement with the federal Liberal government. Why so?
There is a discussion about a rally being organized outside MLA Jennifer Whiteside’s office by the District Parent Advisory Council in support of Simcoe Elementary – as well as a petition launched in Queensborough to advocate for a new high school – click here to sign. Needless to say, it was a busy week focused on education!
This podcast also includes an exclusive interview with NWP school trustee Kathleen Carlsen who just announced she has wrapped up her cancer treatment and is conducting her duties in-person again. It’s an interview you won’t want to miss as she also provides some background and context regarding the infamous ‘buzz off’ letter!
It’s another great podcast focusing on New West issues! If you enjoy it, be sure to tell your family, friends as that’s how we’ve been building our audience. FTR is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcast.
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