Board sends angry letter
Prince George Free Press
Oct 1 2009 
By: Arthur Williams

The Prince George School District has leveled harsh criticism at the provincial government for its handling of education funding and lack of communication with districts.

Six recent policy changes by the provincial government have resulted in the district facing $5.8 million in lost funding and additional costs. In a letter sent to Minister of Education Margaret MacDiarmid on Wednesday, the district board of education criticized the ministry for its lack of communication prior to the changes.

"In our view, your ministry has not met its obligation to provide the communication that is essential for boards to succeed, nor has your ministry been forthright in its presentation to the public regarding the issues discussed at our Sept. 22 meeting," the letter says. "The complete absence of communication, or communication that is vague or disingenuous, implies either that your ministry does not want, or know how, to communicate, or worse, that there is an underlying agenda to set boards up to fail in their basic mission."

The district did not receive any prior notification about the annual facilities grant, worth $4.1 million this year, being cut in the provincial budget, the letter says, despite public statements by the ministry that they were warned….

"It's very difficult for us to do our job as a board when we don't know what is going to happen next. The financial situation is disturbing, but even more disturbing is the lack of consultation," Boone said. "I don't know if it was a slip.. or if she meant to say it, but (MacDiarmid) said in her address that they are protecting, 'health care and social services.' She mentioned protecting health care and social services, but not education. We need to make sure the minister is aware that education should be protected."….

The charter guarantees a quality public education for all children in British Columbia, she said.

"We expect this government to fund all aspects of a quality education," Prouse said. "This board, and all boards across the province, must pressure the government to fund all aspects of education."