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To: B.C Education Minister Mike Bernier

Restore local, democratic control of our school board

BREAKING NEWS: Christy Clark’s Education Minister just fired the democratically-elected Vancouver School Board.[1,2]

The Vancouver School Board stood up for local students, refusing to quietly accept huge budget cuts being handed down by the Christy Clark government -- cuts that would mean more school closures and program cuts.

As a working mom in Vancouver, I want quality public education for my children, and I can’t believe that Christy Clark’s government thinks they can just fire the trustees we elected to stand up for our kids.

The government is trying to sneak this through quietly -- and a massive petition could raise the alarm, and increase the political stakes for the government.

If you think it’s outrageous that the BC government is firing our elected trustees for standing up for students, sign the petition to Mike Bernier to immediately return control of our school board to democratically-elected trustees.

Why is this important?

For years, Christy Clark’s government has been slashing education funding and delaying much-needed seismic upgrades. As a parent, it felt like the Vancouver School Board were the only elected representatives who were on our side and willing to fight for safe, fully-funded schools.

The Vancouver School Board was planning to finally pass a balanced budget in a meeting tonight, in order to secure essential funding for seismic upgrades -- but incredibly, the Education Minister fired them before their meeting.[3]

Now, the Vancouver School Board is essentially being run out of the Premier’s office, by an unelected political appointee.

This could become a major scandal that will follow the BC government all the way to the ballot box in May’s provincial election, and they know it. It starts with a huge petition calling on Education Minister Mike Bernier to reverse this terrible decision.

If you agree that firing the elected VSB trustees is an outrage, sign the urgent petition to Education Minister Mike Bernier now.

Sources:

[1] Vancouver School Board fired by B.C. education minister (CBC)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-school-board-fired-1.3808674

[2] Former Vancouver School Board chair Mike Lombardi calls firing ‘outrageous’
http://globalnews.ca/news/3007688/b-c-education-minister-mike-bernier-set-to-address-vancouver-school-board-situation/

[3] Vancouver School Board to approve budget after months of delay, controversy (CBC)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-school-board-intend-budget-approval-1.3808204

Updates

2016-10-19 09:13:11 -0400

5,000 signatures reached

2016-10-18 12:48:51 -0400

1,000 signatures reached

2016-10-18 01:34:54 -0400

500 signatures reached

2016-10-17 22:07:07 -0400

100 signatures reached

2016-10-17 21:36:25 -0400

50 signatures reached

2016-10-17 21:22:18 -0400

25 signatures reached

2016-10-17 21:17:57 -0400

10 signatures reached