Community needs to start working together
The Daily News (Nanaimo)
January 24, 2009
By: Barb Humpherville

Re: 'Think carefully about where money's headed' (Daily News, Jan. 21)

Well at least we can all agree that the education ministry will take any opportunity to hide behind school boards when in comes to public fallout with respect to ministry policy at the local level. The minister is using ultimatums against the Nanaimo-Ladysmith school district because our new board won't let her hide and wants what Vancouver is getting for their schools.

Interestingly, four more Vancouver schools have been promised benefits from the Neighbourhoods of Learning Project. That project's plan was to revitalize schools with declining enrolments by turning them into community hubs offering year-round services such as daycares, health clinics, senior centres and libraries. To date, no school outside Vancouver has been offered these benefits. Does one suspect favouritism from this government?

....It takes a community working together to solve the issues Mr. Bard wants funded. What he states he is afraid of losing is not what SD 68 should have to sell schools to pay for. The minister should support due diligence and the government should fund kindergarten to Grade 12 education.