VSB proposes $2.9 million in administrative cuts

Vancouver, B.C. – (April 16, 2010) – Minister of Education Margaret MacDiarmid is quoted in today’s Province newspaper making another inaccurate claim about the Vancouver School Board. (“School boards around B.C. plead poverty,” A21)

The minister is quoted as saying: “They’ve been specific in saying there’s no administrative savings they can find.”

The VSB’s current budget proposals, which include $1,600,414 in district administrative reductions and $1,333,307 in cuts to school administrative costs, were publicly released and posted on the VSB website on April 7. The copy of the proposals and an invitation to attend the public budget meetings were also sent to the minister.

The VSB has also written to MacDiarmid asking her to correct the record on her previous misleading statements about the VSB’s financial position and its school capacity. 

As chair, I have publicly commented that more than $18 million in total cuts will not be accomplished without affecting the quality of service and support to students. I stand by those statements. I have never said there are no administrative savings to be found. Those savings will however affect the district’s effectiveness.

We ask the minister once again to correct the public record regarding her inaccurate statements and accusations about the VSB.

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For more information, contact:
Patti Bacchus, board chairperson 604-250-1130