Surrey parents, educators launch pressure campaign over ‘unacceptable' school funding
Parents and educators in Surrey have launched a public campaign to pressure the government over what they say is chronic underfunding in the district.
The campaign, dubbed 'Surrey Students Deserve Better,' urges parents to directly contact their MLAs to press for increased funding and more supports for students with special needs.
'I am tired of talking about these needs because I have been doing it for a very, very long time,' Surrey Teachers Association president Lizanne Foster told reporters Tuesday.
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Surrey Education Board on paper supply shortage
'This should not even be a discussion,' she said, adding the issue has persisted across multiple premiers and governments.
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'It seems like our message just is not getting through.'
The campaign argues that the Surrey School District, B.C.'s most populous, suffered from shortages of education assistants and basic supplies, outdated technology and cuts to popular arts programs like the proposed elimination of Grade 7 band.
Tammy Murphy, president of CUPE 728, which represents district support staff, pointed to reductions in the StrongStart program and learning centre closures as examples.
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Surrey school board facing $16 million budget shortfall
The Surrey School District, meanwhile, says it's facing a $16 million budget shortfall for the coming school year.
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'These cuts impact students with diverse needs, many who cannot thrive without support and leaving fewer kids with less opportunities and less chance to succeed,' she said.
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'This is unacceptable.'
District Parent Advisory Council president Ann Whitmore said funding in the district hasn't kept up with population growth or inflation, resulting in defacto cuts.
Kids are grappling with overcrowded classrooms and portables, while schools are staffed with too few support workers, mental health workers and speech language pathologists, she said.
'I have watched a child who I love deeply struggle because the supports she needs simply aren't there,' Whitmore said, becoming emotional.
'She is suffering. And I don't use that word lightly. She is working harder than anyone realizes to make it through the school day, and when the system fails to show up for her, her younger siblings scaffold her day. This isn't the way it is supposed to be.'
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Surrey school board on making tough decisions to balance its budget
Whitmore said parents understand the province is in a difficult economic situation.
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She said they don't expect the problems to be solved overnight but want to see a clear plan from the province to get to a solution.
'We need a clear roadmap, one that moves us away from emergency measures and budget cuts towards a vision of public education that is inclusive, well-resourced, and built for the future our kids are growing into.
In a statement, the Ministry of Education said 2025-2026 would see it deliver $8.2 billion to B.C. school districts, up 50 per cent from 2017, and a record $13,600 per student.
It said it has provided more than a billion dollars in base funding and special grants to Surrey, more than to any other district.
How districts spend their funding to cover stating and programming is up to local administrators, it added.
The campaign includes a website and a series of videos outlining the struggles teachers and students face under the current funding formula.
The group is also planning a two-week road campaign, capped with a rally in Victoria.
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