What is Families Against Cuts to Education all about?

Public education needs to be a priority again.
We invite all who care about public education as a fundamental building block of democracy and society, and who believe that public education in British Columbia has been de-prioritized and deprived of funding, to join us in advocating to make public education a priority in BC once again.

Public education is more important than politics.
We welcome people of all politics and backgrounds who are concerned about public education and would like the government of the day (regardless of political party) to set aside political calculations, consider the interests of children in the public education system and the greater long-term good of society as a whole, and implement policies that strengthen our societal commitment to public education.

A strong public education system benefits all.
We understand that it is not necessary to be a parent to care about public education and recognize every citizen’s vested interest in a well-supported and well-functioning system.

All children must be able to benefit from high quality public education.
We see and are concerned by the growing inequities between private and public education and within the public education system itself. We believe that no child’s quality of education should be determined by the neighbourhood they live in, their parents’ ability to fundraise, or their teachers’ ability to write grant applications. Public education is a public responsibility; it is not a charity and should not have to rely on the donations of private individuals or corporations.

Children must be safe.
We believe that the safety of children comes first. No child or school employee should be required to spend a single day more than is absolutely necessary in a building that is seismically unsafe or a threat to health and/or safety in any other way. Children’s safety should not be subject to political maneuvering.

Stop the cuts.
We believe that public education is at the core of our democratic society and, as such, should be sheltered from budget cuts except as a last resort. In the words of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, “The school is the last expenditure upon which [we] should be willing to economize.”

BC can be better.
We believe in a British Columbia that values public education as a crucial investment in the future.