Notley: Edmonton school cuts more proof better pro

May 24, 2011

With Edmonton Public Schools having announced nearly 350 cuts to staff for the coming school year, NDP MLA Rachel Notley says there is an urgent need for the provincial Tory government to act to fund education properly.

 “Vague reports about preparing for the future will be useless if we are not investing in excellent education for our children,” Notley warns.

 “Education is being short-changed by $100 million in this year’s budget and that will be seen in 1000 teachers being lost to the province, as well as a range of other negative consequences for transportation, special education, English as a Second Language, and other programs.

 “There is no better proof of a government that doesn’t care and has no idea how to provide leadership to the province than the foolish approach being taken with education. The premier is traveling through the province like a political Santa Claus , merrily announcing  new school buildings, but the predicament of Edmonton Public Schools demonstrates where the real dangers lie. New buildings won’t hide the failures inside – growing class sizes, abandoned support programs and warehoused special needs students. Without good staff, it will not matter what buildings we have.”

 Notley said the NDP is calling for three clear actions as a start: long-term predictable funding for education, as has been done with health; the restoration of the effective $100 million cut  imposed by the Tories this year; and the end of the three year freeze on special needs education.