School division leaders are concerned that Sask. Party actions caused the school board amalgamation feedback process to not be representative of everyone’s views.
“This process has been rushed and flawed from the start and it has never been about bettering education for students,” said NDP Education Critic Carla Beck. “All along, this has been all about the Sask. Party scrambling to make up for another of their billion dollar deficits they’re accumulating despite nearly a decade of record revenues.”
In its governance review, the Sask. Party required all those making submissions to identify themselves and the organization or school division they were a part of because submissions would be posted online. This put a familiar chill on those who wished to share their concerns for fear of retribution.
“We’ve heard from many within school divisions who were afraid to submit critical feedback because they were afraid the Sask. Party would have their personal information,” said Beck.
After the deadline to submit feedback closed earlier this week, school divisions were told that there would be a delay in posting the submissions because all identifying information would first have to be removed.
“The Sask. Party is either changing the rules on the fly or intentionally intimidated people from submitting concerns. Either way, the process was neither fair nor earnest,” Beck said. “Without proper and full consultation, it becomes more and more clear that this was just a smokescreen by the Sask. Party, in an attempt to forge ahead with their own plans to cut.”