Letters sent to The Premier, Minister of Education, MLA's and Quesnel School District Trustees...
July 27, 2002
(sent to Premier Gordon Campbell, Hon. Christy Clark,
Rick Coleman (MLA), Lynn Stephens (MLA) )
Dear __________,
We are writing this letter to make you aware of a Hunger
Strike that we learned about during our trip this week to the Wells-Barkerville
area. This strike, being led by Claire Kujundzic, Vice-President of the
Wells & District Chamber of Commerce,
is in protest of the decision made on July 5th, by the Quesnel School
District trustees vote of 4-3, to close the Wells-Barkerville Elementary
School. If the school is closed, primary students will have to travel
almost 80 km to and from school in Quesnel. We believe that neither the
financial analysis or the impact on the students and the town have been
given adequate consideration before making this decision.
We would like you to take this issue to caucus for discussion and request that the provincial government ask the Quesnel School District to reexamine this decision.
The Quesnel School District asserts that it can save
$100,000 by closing the Wells-Barkerville School and integrating the Wells
students into Quesnel schools. This savings may be considerably less if
Wells' parents choose to home school
their children or leave the district. Is it right in the same year that
this closure is announced that the trustees voted their administrators
a $120,000 raise?
The Quesnel School District receives an annual $100,000
Small Communities supplement to assist with rural education. Should they
continue to receive this money if this service is no longer being provided
within the Wells community?
The Municipality of Wells has offered to waive taxes and reduce operating
costs to help save money if the school remains open.
More importantly, what will be the impact of this decision
on the educational development of these children? In the Wells-Barkerville
school these students have the benefits of small class size and consistent,
enthusiastic parental and
community involvement. The results are obvious in the successful learning
outcomes demonstrated by many of the children. To close the school would
mean the lose of these benefits as well as an increase of a least 1 1/2
hours to their school
day for bus transportation. Is this reasonable to ask of children, 5 to
12 years of age?
The impact of the school closure on Wells could be catastrophic. As well as supplying an impressive education to the local children, it also serves as a hostel for students visiting Barkerville, it is a center for the local Arts School and continuing Adult education. There are indications there may be an economic upturn for Wells but if the community does not have a school it will not be able to attract workers with families.
There appears to have been little consideration or response to Wells parents or town councils' proposals to save the school. In a democratic society, the least you should be able to expect is the right to a fair consultation process.
For the above mentioned reasons we request that you advance this matter to the provincial caucus. We await your response.
Yours truly ,
Margaret Holler, Debbie Ralph
Langley, B.C.
