B.C. Education Minister Rob Fleming says the provincial government had no influence over a Vancouver School Board (VSB) report that puts dozens of schools on the chopping block.
“There’s absolutely no pressure or political interference from our government to look at closing schools in Vancouver or anywhere else,” Fleming said.
The minister says he is very clear that the VSB will need to make its own decision.
But for schools to receive provincial funding for seismic upgrades or rebuilds, districts are required to optimize capacity.
“That’s not pressure,” Fleming said. “That’s just accounting for not only the condition of the facilities but what the utilization rates are.”
Former VSB chair Patti Bacchus said that’s not entirely true.
“While Rob Fleming can say that he’s not pressuring them, he’s dancing around verbally. Because the school board is still feeling the pressure that if they want to get kids into seismically safe buildings, they are going to have to reduce the space that they currently have,” said Bacchus.
Bacchus adds that Fleming was a fierce critic of the Liberals’ school closures back in 2015 and 2016.
Back in 2016, several schools in Vancouver were considered for closure but were saved.
Meanwhile, when school closures were up for debate in Vancouver a few years ago, then-VSB trustee Janet Fraser was the deciding vote to suspend the process amid public backlash from parents.
With Fraser now sitting as the chair of the VSB, she faces the same tough decision.
“There’s a lot of complex pieces that fit together as we’re trying to find the best solution,” said Fraser. “I think it’s challenging, trying to map out a future for our district. As a board, we must get our students into safe schools, but we do need to work with the province to receive that funding.”
There are no public consultation dates set in stone, but she said staff are working to change that.
“Because of requests that have come in, staff are looking at additional options,” Fraser added.
On Twitter, the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council said it has managed to set up one consultation with VSB staff on March 7.
The latest draft plan for more than two dozen schools will be presented to the VSB for approval in April.
- BC Hydro offers free AC units to lower-income, vulnerable customers
- ‘It’s nice to be the villain’: Vancouver Canucks gear up for Game 3 in Nashville
- ‘Why aren’t we doing more?’ White Rock on edge with killer on the loose
- Joffre Lakes to close for 3 periods this year under agreement with First Nations
Comments