Teachers call for more funding

The Surrey Teachers Association (STA) is asking for immediate funding after Surrey Schools announced plans to shut down an alternative school due to a lack of finances.

Students and parents protested the closure of the South Surrey White Rock Learning Centre last week, after the district announced the centre is scheduled to close at the end of the school year.

The school board said it plans to close the school because it can no longer afford the lease on the building.

In a press release on Monday, STA president Lizanne Foster referenced the Surrey Schools’ June 2024 report in criticizing the decision.

“Students who attend Learning Centres represent some of the most vulnerable populations in our school system,” said Foster. “The comments accompanying the 5,170 signatures on the petition to protect Learning Centres highlight their proven track record in supporting at-risk students to achieve success and stability.”

The school district stated that the lease is set to expire in June and the building needs renovation, which would drive up the cost of rent.

“Over the years, the amount of money we’ve been getting from Victoria has not kept pace with inflation,” said school board chair Gary Tymoschuk.

Students at the Surrey-White Rock school will have the chance to transfer to programs at four high schools in the area or return to their original catchment schools.

The closure of the South Surrey White Rock Learning Centre would force around 180 students to transfer to different schools.

“Every student will have an opportunity to consult with the existing principal and staff at the South Surrey White Rock Learning Centre and develop a plan that will work for them to transition to wherever they choose to go to continue their education,” the district stated.

CUPE 728 has criticized the province of underfunding critical programs and has urged local MLAs to maintain alternative education programs.

“It is unconscionable that successive governments, whether BC Liberals or BC NDP, have consistently underfunded these critical services. These closures represent a failure to uphold the education and well-being commitments owed to these vulnerable students,” said CUPE 728 president Tammy Murphy.

In the release, the district’s parent advisory council said that despite the district’s assurances, the learning centre environment cannot be replicated in catchment schools.

“It’s unrealistic to believe that mainstream schools can provide the same targeted supports and specialized environment as Learning Centres. These programs meet unique needs that catchment schools often cannot accommodate – which is why students are at Learning Centres in the first place. Families and students rely on these alternative settings to thrive. Returning students to the place that often was the source of trauma is an unacceptable solution,” Surrey DPAC president Anne Whitmore stated.