Inclusive Education is a Right Not a Privilege!	Look here for the latest news. Monday, November 30th, 1998

Cuts Hit Special Ed. Media Coverage Parents' Comments You CAN Help Inclusion Links Educational Software

"A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove ...... but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child." November 30, 1998 Here we go again!! Now the Vancouver School Board is laying off over 100 teachers and shuffling another 300 - HALF WAY THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR!! Do you think that's going to be disruptive? Well if that isn't, I don't know what is. The Ministry of Education is doing an independent audit to find out how the board got itself into this mess, and the Board chairman, Bill Brown, says he welcomes the audit saying he hopes it will prove the district needs more money. Hey, Bill, you wouldn't be playing politics with our kids now would you? This wouldn't be just a ploy to prove once and for all that Vancouver should receive more money. I mean, we all agree with that, but how about a less disruptive method than this? Check the media page for more details and if interested, please stay tuned. October 1, 1998 Tomorrow, October 2nd, our son, Carson, turns 10 years old. We're going to put the soap box aside for a bit, and make this a celebration place. Check out some photos - more to come in the next couple of days. And let us tell you a bit about Carson's accomplishments. It is not difficult to brag as a parent - it's our privilege, right? Kurc and Carolyn Buzdegan, Vancouver, BC Canada.

Help! Vancouver Schools Under Attack The Vancouver School Board recently (April 3, 1997) announced that 326 jobs, many of them special education assistants, would be cut because of a $ 16.1 million budget deficit for next year (1998). One of the proposals under consideration is the implementation of more segregated classrooms for students with special needs. (yes, more when we are insisting that ALL existing segregated classes be closed). The Board's justification for this strategy, is that there are wait lists of parents who wish for their children to be enrolled in a segregated setting, but many parents see this misinformation as a smoke screen to attempt to return to a "warehousing" approach to education of children with disabilities. Under closer scrutiny, parents were unable to locate any such "list" and even question its existence. As reported in the local newspapers, hundreds of parents have responded to protest these projected cuts, however, there appears to be no movement on either the Provincial Government's part or that of the School Board's. If you would like to review our personal stories and concerns and respond with your own views and experiences, we would be very appreciative. Although this is a regional issue, born out of a funding crisis, the presidence is fundamentaly more far reaching, and potentially affects us all.

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