As the beginning of the school year rapidly approaches, parents are growing increasingly concerned that their children are going to be missing out on more days of school.
When school is scheduled to start on Sept. 2, Surrey students will not have been in classes for 80 days. Every additional day out of school is hurting our children, something we hope that both sides in this labour dispute wish to avoid.
Parents understand that all educational partners care deeply about students. We recognize that both the BCTF and the government are trying to balance the interests of teachers, taxpayers, and most importantly, students.
One of the responsibilities of the Surrey District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) is to advocate for Surrey parents, who feel strongly that students should be back in school on Sept. 2.
Surrey DPAC is looking forward to schools being open as scheduled on Sept. 2. Students deserve to be in classrooms that are free from this continuing labour dispute, and Surrey DPAC is calling on both sides to end all job action.
However this labour dispute is to be resolved, it needs to happen without our children being further impacted, as they unfortunately have been for two of the last three school years already.
We invite our partners in education to continue protecting the interests of students and ensure that on Sept. 2, schools are once again the places for students to learn in a safe, caring, and nurturing environment.
Bob Holmes
President,
Surrey DPAC