Letters and Articles
in Support of Public Education in BC
in Support of Public Education in BC
On this page, we will post letters and articles written by teachers, parents and journalists. These are our favourite letters and articles. They provide excellent information in support of a quality public education system in BC.
Links with a * are the most recently added articles and letters.
Letters Written by Parents
A letter to Peter Fassbender and Christy Clark from a concerned parent
http://vpec.ca/2014/05/31/a-letter-to-peter-fassbender-and-christy-clark-from-a-concerned-parent/
This letter was written by Coquitlam parent Kristina Lee. It has gone viral over the internet and has even been read out loud in the Legislature.
Beware the power of momma bears
http://www.chilliwacktimes.com/opinion/letters/261997621.html?mobile=true
Written by Chilliwack parent, Molly Armstrong.
Stop the cuts to public education
http://www.vancourier.com/opinion/editorial-and-letters/letter-stop-the-cuts-to-public-education-1.983548
Written by Vancouver parent Gwen Giesbrecht. Gwen is a former Vancouver DPAC chair and is currently still a DPAC representative.
Letters Written by Teachers
Dear Premier Clark
http://bcteachersforpubliced.wordpress.com/
This is a letter that we wrote to Premier Clark.
Dear Parents
http://mqteachers.wordpress.com/
This is a letter that we sent home to our parents to explain the actual effects of under funding that we have seen in our own school.
Dear Parent of the Average Child - One Teacher's Confession
http://mmehawtree.blogspot.ca/2014/05/dear-parent-of-average-child-im-sorry.html
This letter is written by a Grade 1 French Immersion teacher, Genevieve Hawtree. It has gone viral over the Internet as well.
Teaching in BC
http://cherylangst.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/teaching-in-bc-3/
Port Coquitlam teacher Cheryl Angst wrote this letter to Minister Farnworth during the 2012 job action. She was one of the first teachers to take to social media to speak up about the state of public education in BC. A very powerful and still-relevant letter.
Public education is being dismantled
http://www.burnabynow.com/opinion/public-education-is-being-dismantled-1.1080237
This excellent letter written is written by a very experienced and respected Burnaby teacher named Elizabeth Byrne-Low.
I Am a Greedy Teacher
http://30daysofautism.wordpress.com/2014/06/08/i-am-a-greedy-teacher-bctf-bced/
Written by BC Teacher Andrew Turner.
B.C. Teachers' Strike Vote: I Shouldn't Have To Make This Choice
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/ashley-mackenzie/bc-teachers-strike-vote_b_5458962.html
Worth Fighting For
http://iamteacherryan.wordpress.com/2014/06/08/worth-fighting-for/
A great heart felt letter - quite long but moving.
Yes, class size matters - and here's why
http://www.burnabynow.com/opinion/your-letters/yes-class-size-matters-and-here-s-why-1.1076347
Teachers' Voices on the Line
https://www.bctf.ca/TeacherVoices.aspx
This website, created by our union the BCTF, has a large collection of many, many letters written by teachers.
Letters Written by Members of the Public, etc.
Teachers need fair wage increase & government needs lesson in math *
http://www.andrewweavermla.ca/2014/06/22/twage-gmath/
A blog post written by Andrew Weaver, Green Party MLA on Vancouver Island.
To the Citizens of BC *
http://pairadimes.davidtruss.com/to-the-citizens-of-bc/
Written by a Coquitlam Vice-Principal, David Truss. Truss has collected graphs from Statistics Canada to very clearly illustrate how severely underfunded BC's public education system is compare to the rest of Canada. Very detailed but worth taking the time to look through.
New Rule #2 in the Education Dispute *
http://jimnelson806.com/2014/06/20/new-rule-2-in-the-education-dispute/
This former principal explains how teachers' salary proposal is not as unreasonable as the government says it is. He compares teachers' proposal to the salary increases that other public sector workers have gotten.
OPINION: BCTF VS. THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT , A BATTLE AGAINST IGNORANCE
http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2014/06/bctf-vs-the-government-of-canada-a-battle-against-ignorance/
Written by writer Victoria Potter, who states she is not a teacher and does not have children. But, she has experienced the BC public education system as a student. An excellent, well-informed letter.
Joint letter to the Premier and Ministers of Education and Finance
http://www.vsb.bc.ca/sites/default/files/publications/14_4Apr24_JointLetter_toPremier_MOE_andMOF_reEducationFunding_0.pdf
This joint letter explains the effects of the government's decision to download costs onto local school boards.The letter is signed by a representative from each of the following groups: Vancouver Board of Education, District Parent Advisory Council, Vancouver District Student Council, Vancouver Elementary and Secondary Teachers' Associations, Principals and Vice Principals' Asssociations, Professional and Administrative Staff Association, CUPE, IUOE and trades.
News and Opinion Articles
Vaughn Palmer: A history of bad faith in B.C. Liberals' dealings with teachers
http://www.vancouversun.com/touch/story.html?id=9912106
Regaining Respect for Education
http://m.thetyee.ca/Opinion/2014/06/07/Subsidizing-Private-Schools/#.U5NNhTBgeuw.facebook
Did you know that our government provides up to 50% funding for private schools in BC? This article takes us through a "thought experiment" that explores what it would be like if we pulled all funding for private schools.
Links with a * are the most recently added articles and letters.
Letters Written by Parents
A letter to Peter Fassbender and Christy Clark from a concerned parent
http://vpec.ca/2014/05/31/a-letter-to-peter-fassbender-and-christy-clark-from-a-concerned-parent/
This letter was written by Coquitlam parent Kristina Lee. It has gone viral over the internet and has even been read out loud in the Legislature.
Beware the power of momma bears
http://www.chilliwacktimes.com/opinion/letters/261997621.html?mobile=true
Written by Chilliwack parent, Molly Armstrong.
Stop the cuts to public education
http://www.vancourier.com/opinion/editorial-and-letters/letter-stop-the-cuts-to-public-education-1.983548
Written by Vancouver parent Gwen Giesbrecht. Gwen is a former Vancouver DPAC chair and is currently still a DPAC representative.
Letters Written by Teachers
Dear Premier Clark
http://bcteachersforpubliced.wordpress.com/
This is a letter that we wrote to Premier Clark.
Dear Parents
http://mqteachers.wordpress.com/
This is a letter that we sent home to our parents to explain the actual effects of under funding that we have seen in our own school.
Dear Parent of the Average Child - One Teacher's Confession
http://mmehawtree.blogspot.ca/2014/05/dear-parent-of-average-child-im-sorry.html
This letter is written by a Grade 1 French Immersion teacher, Genevieve Hawtree. It has gone viral over the Internet as well.
Teaching in BC
http://cherylangst.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/teaching-in-bc-3/
Port Coquitlam teacher Cheryl Angst wrote this letter to Minister Farnworth during the 2012 job action. She was one of the first teachers to take to social media to speak up about the state of public education in BC. A very powerful and still-relevant letter.
Public education is being dismantled
http://www.burnabynow.com/opinion/public-education-is-being-dismantled-1.1080237
This excellent letter written is written by a very experienced and respected Burnaby teacher named Elizabeth Byrne-Low.
I Am a Greedy Teacher
http://30daysofautism.wordpress.com/2014/06/08/i-am-a-greedy-teacher-bctf-bced/
Written by BC Teacher Andrew Turner.
B.C. Teachers' Strike Vote: I Shouldn't Have To Make This Choice
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/ashley-mackenzie/bc-teachers-strike-vote_b_5458962.html
Worth Fighting For
http://iamteacherryan.wordpress.com/2014/06/08/worth-fighting-for/
A great heart felt letter - quite long but moving.
Yes, class size matters - and here's why
http://www.burnabynow.com/opinion/your-letters/yes-class-size-matters-and-here-s-why-1.1076347
Teachers' Voices on the Line
https://www.bctf.ca/TeacherVoices.aspx
This website, created by our union the BCTF, has a large collection of many, many letters written by teachers.
Letters Written by Members of the Public, etc.
Teachers need fair wage increase & government needs lesson in math *
http://www.andrewweavermla.ca/2014/06/22/twage-gmath/
A blog post written by Andrew Weaver, Green Party MLA on Vancouver Island.
To the Citizens of BC *
http://pairadimes.davidtruss.com/to-the-citizens-of-bc/
Written by a Coquitlam Vice-Principal, David Truss. Truss has collected graphs from Statistics Canada to very clearly illustrate how severely underfunded BC's public education system is compare to the rest of Canada. Very detailed but worth taking the time to look through.
New Rule #2 in the Education Dispute *
http://jimnelson806.com/2014/06/20/new-rule-2-in-the-education-dispute/
This former principal explains how teachers' salary proposal is not as unreasonable as the government says it is. He compares teachers' proposal to the salary increases that other public sector workers have gotten.
OPINION: BCTF VS. THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT , A BATTLE AGAINST IGNORANCE
http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2014/06/bctf-vs-the-government-of-canada-a-battle-against-ignorance/
Written by writer Victoria Potter, who states she is not a teacher and does not have children. But, she has experienced the BC public education system as a student. An excellent, well-informed letter.
Joint letter to the Premier and Ministers of Education and Finance
http://www.vsb.bc.ca/sites/default/files/publications/14_4Apr24_JointLetter_toPremier_MOE_andMOF_reEducationFunding_0.pdf
This joint letter explains the effects of the government's decision to download costs onto local school boards.The letter is signed by a representative from each of the following groups: Vancouver Board of Education, District Parent Advisory Council, Vancouver District Student Council, Vancouver Elementary and Secondary Teachers' Associations, Principals and Vice Principals' Asssociations, Professional and Administrative Staff Association, CUPE, IUOE and trades.
News and Opinion Articles
Vaughn Palmer: A history of bad faith in B.C. Liberals' dealings with teachers
http://www.vancouversun.com/touch/story.html?id=9912106
Regaining Respect for Education
http://m.thetyee.ca/Opinion/2014/06/07/Subsidizing-Private-Schools/#.U5NNhTBgeuw.facebook
Did you know that our government provides up to 50% funding for private schools in BC? This article takes us through a "thought experiment" that explores what it would be like if we pulled all funding for private schools.