Despite pleas from concerned parents, the Sask. Party went forward with funding cuts in education and caused school divisions to cut preschool programs for kids with special needs.
“The Minister said that he wouldn’t sign off on a budget that made these cuts, but he did,” said NDP Education Critic Carla Beck. “Now, with last summer’s closure of the discovery and communications preschools, children with special needs have lost a valuable asset to their education, social development and personal growth.”
Recently obtained document from the Regina Public School Division contained correspondence from parents concerned about these cuts. Here is what they had to say:
“The long-term effects of this decision are dangerous. We will see more language deprived children, which will result in poor literacy skills, poor self-concept and increased social isolation.”
“By closing the communication preschool, you are denying DHH (Deaf and Hard of Hearing) children the opportunity to explore their identity and further isolating them from their DHH peers.”
“By closing a program that provides equitable educational opportunities for Deaf and Hard of Hearing preschoolers, the message being sent to these children and their families is that they are not respected, and they do not belong.”
“This cut to the Communications Preschool is directly hurting their (the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community’s) future leaders.”
“By removing this program you are violating my child’s rights and the rights of those like my child. This is not okay.”
“These quotes show the hurt and desperation that so many families are going through,” Beck said. “The Sask. Party needs to understand that their heartless cuts have real impacts for students, parents and teachers. The Sask. Party needs to step up and fully restore their education funding cut.”
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