To the Editor,
Re: Funds put district in better spot, March 17.
Because ‘school taxes’ eat up 58 per cent of property taxes, our local school board has a fudiciary duty to spend money wisely. Sadly, our current board has proven itself unable to do so.
Consequently, we face severe deficits for which they deny any responsibility, their political preference being to blame the provincial government. And now this board, many of whom owe their election success to the B.C. Teachers Federation, are about to begin negotiations with that organization.
How can we expect our school board to represent the interests of the citizens at large when their own interests are so politically compromised?
We all know what will happen. The board and the BCTF will act as a coalition, blaming and petitioning the provincial government for more money and demanding that city councillors and RDN directors increase property taxes in order to fulfill their wish list of higher salaries and “improved working conditions”.
But as we’re constantly told, it’s all for the children.
I also note that a representative from the Wisconsin Education Association spoke at the BCTF convention. Given that we have a newly minted premier in B.C., this cannot bode well.
Wisconsin was not about teachers’ rights, but about union power, specifically that of public sector unions. And since the presidents of both the B.C. Federation of Labour and CUPE are also speaking at the BCTF convention, I fully expect Premier Christy Clark and the people of B.C. to be put to the test.
I could be wrong, but buckle up as we could be in for a very bumpy ride.
Randy O’Donnell
Nanaimo