Richmond parents hold rally as several local schools face closure

Concerned parents and students held a rally on a rainy Saturday morning to protest the possible closure of up to five Richmond schools.

They protested outside the office of Richmond-Steveston John Yap. A similar rally was held in Richmond last month.

“It baffles the mind that a prosperous, growing suburb like Richmond is looking at up to five school closures next year, ” NDP education critic Rob Fleming said.

“This is symptomatic of the chronic underfunding of public education in B.C. under Christy Clark.”

What happens when a B.C. community loses its only school?

Parents are also concerned about the lack of seismic upgrades to Richmond schools. The provincial government has said that only schools with 95 per cent capacity will receive seismic upgrades, but parents at the rally are advocating for a 85 per cent utilization rate.

A preliminary report will be issued in June, and a final decision on which schools will be closed is expected to be made in October.

– With files from Julia Foy and Justin McElroy