The Liberals seem to be attracting fresh animosity every time they step up to a podium these days.
The newest decision to cut funding for physical education in schools while at the same time announcing massive funding to get kids on the 2010 bandwagon is a mind-boggling juxtaposition that makes one wonder what world the Liberals are living in.
And it will undoubtedly have Sea to Sky residents fuming.
Giving the government the benefit of the doubt, we'll call it the height of irony that the Ministry of Education announced the slashing of $130,000 from B.C. School Sports while $500,000 goes to the "Sharing the Dream Teachable Moments for the 2010 Classroom" program. You see, the program is meant to help teachers incorporate Olympic themes into their everyday curriculum, and encourages students to take a "healthy living pledge." So how can kids accomplish this "healthy living" if their sports teams are taking a hit, you ask?
"Rather than formal team sports, maybe people will be doing more walking or dancing or playing in parks," said Education Minister Margaret McDiarmid, obviously digging deep.
Irony still not clear? How's this: the Share the Dream material invites kids to "just imagine"
"Imagine giving your phys-ed class the chance to try out Paralympic events, such as sledge hockey or wheelchair curling, as part of the Paralympic School Week celebrations."
Well at least the kids will have one week of activity.
The BC Teachers' Federation is, unsurprisingly, very critical of this decision. President Irene Lanzinger is calling it "all about spin for this government."
It's true the Ministry of Education sets a standard for curriculums throughout the province, but school districts typically do have some say in what priorities they wish to set. This creeping away of traditional education funding while creeping toward specialized funding for a provincial pet project has a sinister ring to it. It just can't be helped.
Weighing the pros and cons, it does seem that a youthful population indoctrinated into enthusiastic praise for the Olympics would be beneficial to the Liberals, who have, after all, pumped billions into the event.
What parent out there, no matter how embittered, will tell their kid they've been bamboozled by a corporate and political machine after they've spent an entire term (or two) contributing to that very entity?
Meanwhile, parents continue to shell out for items to make up for shortfalls in other areas.
This Sea to Sky School District alone is getting a $1.2 million cut. And worse, the cut was announced after the district submitted its budget, leaving staff and board members scrambling to identify the least painful method of making this shortfall work. And need we point out that scrambling is no way to settle on crucial decisions affecting children?
