CUPE 728 represents the support staff for the Surrey school district (S.D. 36). We are the School & Community Support Workers, Bus Drivers, Clerical, Caretakers, Maintenance, Inclusive Education Support Workers (formally EAs) and Student Support workers who all have a role in the education of Surrey and White Rock’s youth.
Surrey is one of Canada’s most culturally diverse and historically rich communities. Our role is to help educate, protect and enhance the learning experience for the students in our schools and ultimately striving to achieve equality for the future generations in all our communities.
We see first-hand the effects that the current Board’s decisions have had on our students and changes need to be made to make Better Surrey Schools for our students, families and community.
Across Surrey, families and staff are raising three major issues:
Funding choices that reduce essential student supports
Fewer supports for students means more stress, less stability, and reduced access for students who need help the most. Public funding should not be going towards 25+% raise increases to managers or 30+% raise increase to Trustees when Education Assistants are being cut along with ending StrongStart programs and many more valuable and needed supports.
Increasing safety concerns are linked to reduced staffing and communication gaps
Every child and every staff member deserve a safe learning environment — not one where violence is hidden or normalized. Unfortunately, many of our student are being subjected to learning in violent classrooms on a daily basis.
Limited transparency and public access to information about district decisions
Public education requires public accountability — families deserve transparency, communication, and access to information. The public deserves the right to ask questions at a public board meeting. The public deserves to be informed on the decisions made.
These concerns reflect a desire for stable supports, safe classrooms, and open communication between the Surrey School District and the public, community and families.
