September brings a whirlwind of emotions for parents, students, grandparents, siblings, teachers, bus drivers – just about everyone!
The end of summer is here, and it’s back to the books, routines, and don’t forget the school zones! Some love the structure September brings, while others lament the end of summer freedom. Some parents will miss the long days in the sun, while others will quietly celebrate the return to routine (some not so quietly, with a celebratory Facebook post!).
In my household, this year brings a lot of change. Two of my four children will attend college or university for the first time, and one of them will be moving away for the year.
No matter where you land on the spectrum of feelings about September, I think we can all agree that this season brings significant change. Those shifts revolve around our education system and, ultimately, the future of our province and country.
Children are our future and our greatest responsibility. They are impressionable, curious, open-minded, and creative. They represent limitless potential. That is why education matters so much.
Over the last two years, I have heard from many of you in Kelowna about our education system. Most people don’t write their MLA simply to point out what’s going well, so let me start there.
All four of my children have now graduated from British Columbia’s public education system. That’s a collective 52 years of schooling – 52 years of teachers, report cards, homework, concerts, field trips, and parent-teacher interviews. Their teachers were some of the kindest and most dedicated people I have ever met. They dedicate their lives to teaching, encouraging, adapting, managing challenging behaviours, and inspiring our children with remarkable creativity, enthusiasm, and patience. None were perfect. One wasn’t the right fit for one of my children. But every one of them deserves my gratitude and respect for choosing this profession.
Beyond the educators – including education assistants – there were countless memorable projects, performances, field trips, friendships, and experiences that helped shape our children.
But there are challenges too. Let me touch on the two issues my office hears about most often: safety and inclusivity.
Society is changing, and more children than ever are navigating mental health challenges, neurodiversity, trauma, and complex behavioural needs. With that comes more responsibility, more compassion, and, at times, more conflict. My office has heard from families representing many different perspectives.
There is the parent of a child with autism who worries their son is falling through the cracks because the support he needs simply isn’t available. There is the parent of a child with anxiety who feels overwhelmed by an environment that no longer feels predictable or calm. There are teachers and education assistants doing everything they can while managing increasingly complex – and sometimes physically violent – classrooms. And there are principals trying to make impossible decisions with limited resources.
These are all real stories.
Inclusion is a value most of us share. Every child deserves to belong, learn, and be treated with dignity. But meaningful inclusion requires more than good intentions. It requires adequate supports, specialized staff, appropriate learning environments, and an honest recognition that one size does not fit every child.
We cannot continue asking teachers, education assistants, and students to carry more and more without acknowledging there are limits. Compassion does not eliminate capacity. When supports fail to keep pace with growing needs, everyone feels the strain – including the very students we are trying to help.
Recent events at Tumbler Ridge Secondary and Springvalley Middle School have sparked difficult conversations across our province. While every situation has its own unique circumstances, they have highlighted a broader reality: families want schools where children are both safe and included. Those goals should never be seen as opposites, but achieving both requires thoughtful planning, sufficient resources, and a willingness to have respectful conversations.
There are no easy answers, and anyone who suggests otherwise is oversimplifying a very complex issue. We can support inclusion while also recognizing that classrooms must be safe, teachers must be supported, and every student deserves an environment where they can learn.
As we prepare for another school year, my hope is that we come together in honesty and unity. Parents, educators, support staff, and students all want what is best for children. If we begin from that shared purpose, we can have honest conversations about what is working, what isn’t, and what needs to change.
Our teachers continue to show remarkable dedication every day. They deserve our gratitude, our respect, and the resources necessary to succeed. Our children deserve schools that are safe, welcoming, and equipped to meet the realities of today’s classrooms. Those goals are not incompatible, but achieving them will require courage, investment, and a commitment to listening to one another.
Source: Kelowna Now
