Mount Pleasant Parent Advisory Council
2300 Guelph Street, Vancouver, B.C. V5T 3P1
phone 604-713-4617 fax 604-713-4627






April 2010

To: Jenny Wai Ching Kwan, MLA
1070 – 1641 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, BC
V5L 3Y3


As parents of children in an inner city school, I would like to begin by saying thank you to the Board for the 20 years you have given to inner city schools. That said, I implore you to consider the detrimental impact the proposed cuts will have on the children in my school--children who are already at risk.


Many of the children in my school are vulnerable. They live in poverty, and may also face crime, hunger, transience, emotional neglect, abuse, delayed language development, social and cultural barriers, violence, refugee/immigrant status, the effects of drug and/or alcohol abuse in the family, and other special needs.

The promotion of literacy, social emotional development and parent-community engagement has been demonstrated to increase the outcomes for children in inner city neighbourhoods. In many inner city schools, these goals are being reached through a dedicated school team, including but not limited to: Inner City Project Teachers, Youth and Family Workers, Staff Assistants, Neighbourhood Assistants, Cultural Workers, ESL support, subsidized meal programs and all day kindergarten.

We have committed teachers, administration and school support staff. The proposed budget cuts threaten this already vulnerable situation. Boards of Education are required to balance their budgets and be able to meet the educational needs of all children.

They cannot do this unless the Provincial government acts in a fiscally responsible manner and covers the provincially mandated increased costs of operating public schools.

We would like to remind you of Premier Gordon Campbell’s promise to “build the best system of support in Canada … for children at risk”. Please help the Premier keep his promise to the children in my school by urging him to increase funding for public education now.


Name:



cc: Premier Gordon Campbell