WATCH: Talks have collapsed in the BC teachers’ dispute and summer school is being cancelled. And as Keith Baldrey reports, negations might not start until September.
A number of school districts have cancelled their summer school classes and programs.
Vancouver, Surrey, Delta, Langley, Abbotsford, Maple Ridge/ Pitt Meadows, Burnaby, Victoria, North Vancouver, Prince George and Chilliwack school districts have announced that their summer school programs have been cancelled in light of the ongoing labour dispute between B.C. teachers and provincial government.
Surrey school district says they will however hold summer school for 47 students who need the classes to graduate.
MORE: Talks between BCTF and government break down
Campbell River and Williams Lake school districts cancelled their summer school classes and programs last week.
On June 27, the Labour Relations Board ruled that summer school programs for students in Grades 10, 11 and 12 who failed a course the previous year and couldn’t take it the next year would be considered an essential service. But according to Vancouver School Board Chair Patti Bacchus, the availability of online courses and other learning options are large enough to mitigate that.
“We looked at the essential service order that came from the LRB, and it was a very narrow criteria for who would be eligible. We don’t think any students would not be able to take courses next year,” said Bacchus.
“And with reports out today from the BCTF and Minister of Education, it doesn’t look like there’s any good news at the bargaining table. Given those two factors, the superintendent of schools made the decision to cancel all summer school.”
WATCH: Talks between the BCTF and Government have fallen apart. What happens now? Aaron McArthur reports.
Vancouver school district says their preview courses, secondary completion courses, remedial courses not addressed by the recent essential services order as well as courses and programs for elementary students will all not proceed this summer due to the current provincial labour dispute.
After reviewing the [LRB] ruling and the individual academic records of all students who might be eligible, the district determined that it does not have any students who meet the LRB essential services order requirements, said the district in a release.
The Langley School District says its administrators are beginning to consider options and other learning opportunities for students in the fall.
Students taking a remedial class are a very small portion of the number of students enrolled for Langley’s summer programs, the vast majority take summer courses for advancement or enrichment, says the district.
In a letter posted on the Abbotsford School District website, Kevin Godden, Superintendent of Schools / CEO, said they have made the unfortunate decision to cancel their secondary school program.
“As you know, the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation has decided to picket all summer school programs around the province, so the program could not function under these circumstances,” Godden said in the letter.
Godden said this is a very small portion of the summer school program as most students use the program for advancement.
Where applicable, students who failed a grade 10, 11 or 12 course will be able to access it through the district’s distributed learning program (Abbotsford Virtual School),” added Godden in the statement.
Today is the decision day for many other districts on whether or not to proceed with summer school classes.
Since individual school districts are slowly rolling out their decisions regarding summer school classes it’s best to check in with your school district to see if your child(ren) will be impacted.
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