Pink slips for 100 Richmond staff to arrive at the end of the month
By Nelson Bennet, Richmond News
April 3, 2010

One hundred teachers, education assistants, administrators and other school staff in Richmond will start receiving pink slips at the end of April.

"These are bad," Richmond school trustee Donna Sargent said at a press conference this week. "These are bad, bad cuts."

"It will affect our service delivery and we have been very vocal about that," added school board chairwoman Linda McPhail.

Richmond school officials have been warning for months that a shortfall in provincial government funding would result in layoffs, but were only able to arrive at a firm number this week. The shortfall for the 2010-11 year is estimated to be $6 million….

"To say is it a teacher or is it a custodian? It's all going to affect student achievement, in my opinion," Sargent said. "It's going to affect your kid, definitely."…

Trustees reject the province's spin on its education budget: that it is spending more than ever on education.

"It's just not true," Sargent said. "It's just not on that we're getting the same money."While per-pupil funding has gone up slightly, the province is not providing more money to cover pension plan contribution increases, which will cost the Richmond school district $700,000. Nor is it covering MSP premium increases, which amounts to $115,000, or providing more money to cover a new carbon offset charge worth $200,000.

As well, the province froze funding on the school district's facilities maintenance grant this year to the tune of $4 million, which meant any school repairs had to come from the operating budget.

The grant is being restored, but for the next two years, only by 50 per cent of what it was previously.

The district had hoped it might be able to sell off some land to help cover its shortfall, but the province has frozen its assets. The board is now considering leasing the land….