To the Editor,
When you run for public office as a school trustee, you run to make things better for students or you run to help your political friends.
Your job is to do your creative best with what you have. That means you have to support initiatives that will best meet the students’ needs. That means doing things differently.
Special needs students are often the centre of the debate, being identified as the cause for teacher stress.
Yet we do not address the fact that ‘inclusionary’ model is extremely expensive but not working very well. Special needs students need special needs schools staffed by teachers and aids trained to meet special needs.
Isn’t it time to reconstruct the education system in B.C.? Let’s start with a new calendar – like in Britain, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, basically six weeks in session, two-week breaks.
Then, let’s develop new curricula that reflect the needs of this century, one that gives the trades equal importance with the university track. The kids cannot wait for education to keep up with them and train them for their future.
I was proud to be a trustee from 2002 to 2011 and I know four in Cowichan who understand the true role of trusteeship and who stood up for the students and taxpayers.
Ron Dale
Nanaimo