Beck says government needs to listen to all parents
SASKATOON - Today, Official Opposition Leader Carla Beck and Education Critic Matt Love stood with parents outside Monique-Rousseau elementary school, which has had a gaping hole in the roof since last school year. Together, they called on the Sask. Party government to listen to all parents and get to work on the issues that matter most.
“There’s a gaping hole in the roof of this school and the Premier has called an emergency debate over what kids call each other on the playground,” said Beck. “Our schools are literally crumbling before our eyes and parents are rightly concerned that the government doesn’t care about the issues that matter most.”
On June 6, concerned parents and administrators toured Saskatoon MLAs - including the Sask. Party’s Gordon Wyant and Marv Friesen - through Monique-Rousseau school, bringing to their attention the gaping hole in the roof and the cramped spaces students are forced to learn in as a result of water damage.
In September, after months of government inaction, concerned parents submitted a petition with approximately 200 signatures to the Sask. Party government, again calling on the government to fix the hole in the roof.
The Sask. Party government did not fix the hole in the roof, and last week the building flooded causing classes to be canceled on October 6th. When the school reopened, two classrooms and the library were deemed unusable, disrupting learning even further.
The Sask. Party government’s own lawyers say that the government developed its pronoun policy in nine days after receiving 18 letters, only seven of which identified themselves as parents.
“It’s not fair for the Sask. Party to pick and choose who to listen to. The government has a duty to listen to all parents,” said Love. “As a teacher, I know from experience that our kids do best when all parents are involved and respected.”
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