Early childhood education is important
Vancouver Courier
January 30, 2009
By: Stephanie Seaman, Richmond, B.C.

To the editor:

After reading Ms. [Beverley] Smith's letter ("Childcare in school: slippery slope," Jan. 21), I was unsure whether to be completely offended and outraged, or to laugh out loud at her statements.

While I do not claim to hold a teacher's certificate, my diploma clearly states "early childhood educator." Does Ms. Smith believe that learning only begins after the age of five? Or that what I do is not educational? What an affront to professionals who provide quality learning experiences for children under school age.

As for the assertion that we are "commercial enterprises": due to our current governments, who appear to share some of Ms. Smith's views, childcare has yet to become the publicly funded, accessible and affordable system that Canadian families deserve.

A high quality education system staffed by qualified educators is something we must continue to support as a publicly funded system accessible to all children regardless of economic status. I find the true inequity to be that children under the age of five are not afforded the same option.