Coquitlam teachers worried budget cuts will close school libraries

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COQUITLAM (NEWS1130) – It’s being called a devastating budget deficit in Coquitlam and teachers are worried that will have students will losing out on library, music and bus services. The district is promising everything is fine, but the Coquitlam Teachers’ Association claims that’s just not true.

School Board Chair Melissa Hyndes promises the district is working hard to keep cuts away from the classroom with the huge deficit looming. “It’s 13.4 million dollars, which is significant,” says Hyndes.

Coquitlam Teachers’ Association President Charley King calls the proposal to cut 163 positions brutal. The proposal includes eliminating all teacher librarian positions. King doesn’t buy the district’s promise at all. “They’re saying that of course because they want to assure people things are okay, but you know, they’re really not… What you’re going to get is a patchwork of services that’s going to depend on the school and the amount of resources the school has.”

According to King, the cuts mean students may only be able to access school libraries for five weeks a year. He says the proposal does not adequately explain how services will be affected by the cuts.

Elementary school music specialists are also the target of possible cuts. King worries that may mean losing music programs if other teachers aren’t able to fill the gaps.

King blames lack of government funding makes up part of the deficit, but blames the district for adding to the high number by proposing to high three new managers and another district principal. “What is the district’s priorities? Are they interested in hiring teachers and maintaining programs to be there for kids, or do they want to just create their own empire of managers?”

Bus service to and from school is also part of the proposed cuts. “All school buses except for busing for special needs, that will continue. Just the busing of students to and from school,” says Hyndes. She adds so far they haven’t heard many objections from parents over getting rid of the bus service.

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