Editor:
School District 52 (Prince Rupert) has established a hockey academy at Prince Rupert Middle School.
This academy is scheduled to begin in September 2015 for students in Grades 6 to 8. The Prince Rupert District Teachers’ Union has some concerns about the addition of an academy to our public school system.
Although academies are allowed under Section 82.1 of the School Act, they essentially create a private school within the public system. Parents are expected to pay more than $1,200 for their child to be enrolled in the academy. Public schools are supposed to level the playing field between economic groups but we fear the academy will create a greater rift between “have” and “have not” students.
Given that many of our students deal with poverty issues it seems elitist to institute an academy for a sport known to be one of the most expensive offered in our community.
Our board of directors needs to ensure that they are not creating a two tiered public school systems and that all students will have access to the same curricular options regardless of their family’s economic status.
Kathy Murphy
President Prince Rupert District
Teachers’ Union