Stakeholders Raise Alarm at Proposed Merger of VSB Committees

VANCOUVER     Stakeholders representing parents, unions and other concerned citizens are alarmed that the new Vancouver School Board of Trustees are seeking to remove key opportunities for engagement by combining two Standing Committees – Personnel and Finance.

These Standing Committees have operated for decades, with each committee having its own purpose and function. “In an environment when engagement with VSB trustees is already very limited, the Chairperson of the Board has introduced a motion to make consultation even harder,” said Marjorie Dumont of the Vancouver Elementary and Adult Educators’ Society.

Adding, “the VSB’s own documents refer to these committees as opportunities to facilitate comprehensive discussion.  Combining these important functions will limit the ability of those most connected with Vancouver Schools to engage meaningfully about them with trustees.”

The president of the Vancouver & District Labour Council Stephen von Sychowski said, “The new ABC board has not even experienced a full cycle of work through these committees.  Budget setting is just starting and staffing is done at the end of the school year. One would think that the trustees would want more discussion and consultation, not less.  We are concerned about our democratic processes that are being restricted and reduced unnecessarily.”

The motion will now go before the Policy & Governance Committee on February 8, 2023, followed by the Board meeting on February 27th.

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For further information: VDLC President Stephen von Sychowski at president@vdlc.ca / Vancouver DPAC Chair Vik Khanna at chair@vancouverdpac.org