An open letter to school district trustees:
I understand the difficult decisions that you must make at budget time.
I would like to remind the board of the Moore Supreme Court decision, which made clear that cuts made to special education cannot be disproportionate to those made to regular education.
Students with special needs are already affected by cuts to regular education as they access those services as well.
Hence any further cuts to their special education programs and services would place an increased burden on these students.
All students must have their basic educational needs met first before any other priorities are considered. Not to do so would be a violation of Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and in contravention of the BC Human Rights Act.
The school act also states that even though special needs funding is pooled and not attached to the child, the school district is obliged (legally and morally) to provide what the students need.
Thank you for standing up for students and providing them all, programming and supports they need.
Colette Mann