An Open Letter To the Right Honourable Steven L. Point [!"# l& '"#l t#l], LieutenantGovernor of British Columbia, OBC.

, March 3, 2012 Re: The education of our children and grandchildren Your Honour, I had the privilege of meeting you and your wife in 2008, in Barkerville, British Columbia at a new Canadians ceremony hosted by the Theatre Royal. It was a special day at the theatre and I volunteered my time to manage the front of house for the swearing in ceremony of 77 people who wanted to become Canadian citizens. I felt unexplainable pride unlocking the theatre doors that morning. I felt such esteem for you and your wife, as representatives of my province and country. You spoke of education, democracy, and of the future generations of our nation. You spoke about the responsibilities of citizenship. I will never forget it. I certified as a British Columbia Teacher later that year, and I started a new teaching career at two inner city schools in my community. I continue to teach in one of those schools still. I would like to share a bit of what being a teacher in my context is like because we need your understanding and your help. In my classroom this year, 90% of the students are from First Nations or are Metis, like me. Every day I use what I have experienced and learned from previous careers in the nonprofit sector when I provided education and support for people with HIV/AIDS, adults and youth with mental health and addictions issues, or to youth struggling to leave the sex trade because everyday the school environment I teacher in becomes increasingly complex. I need these skills I have garnered and more. You might assume from this list of experiences I draw from that I teach older children in high school, but I do not I teach kindergarten. Many families whose children attend my school live in multiple forms of poverty related crisis, generationaltraumas from residential schools, and multi generational forms of social and cultural marginalization. Their children are more hungry, more tired, more lonely, and sometimes more hurt and angry then children from less marginalized families. Many do not meet the social determinants of health in most key categories. They are at serious lifelong risk of an array of factors from incarceration to chronic health problems. A lot must happen prior to the school day starting before we get to academic lessons.

Bill 22 will not serve to improve the learning conditions at my school. We will not receive badly needed literacy specialists or occupational, speech, cultural, or numeracy specialists. We will not be able to hire more teachers or ensure that our classrooms remain or return to responsive teacherstudent ratios or compositions. If we are to honour our children and our grandchildren, as you stated in a recent throne speech, then now truly is the time because our national shame need not continue. A true improvement to education would provide the supports I mention and far more. Bill 22, as read, will not benefit the learners in public education. It will not benefit their families. It does not honour any of us as Canadian citizens or indeed as peoples. Many experienced teachers would not consider teaching at my school, most know that the level of student needs will far exceed what the school can provide, and they are right. It hurts teachers to see children in needless crisis and living in tiny worlds. It can be demoralizing, frustrating, and at times, obscene. Like me, some teachers love teaching at schools like mine. For many of us, it is our vocation. We love teaching children because we believe in their ability to learn, grow, question, and care for others. That is why I am so hurt and offended by the cynical and hostile deeds of our government. We need actual improvements, not a law written with that title which enacts cynicism and malice toward teachers and little children. Your Honour, public education needs a hero, little kids need a hero and that hero could be you. I thank you for your time and I urge you to set an example that British Colum-ians can learn 5rom6 7eac8 us to 9alue t8e education o5 our ;ro9ince<s most vulnerable little citizens. Please volunteer to be the mediator for the current stalled negotiations -et"een t8e teac8er<s union and our employer. Please use your influence and social leverage to return balance between groups who do not need to be foes. Written with respect and in peace, Ms. Trina Chivilo Teacher Prince George, BC