Statement from Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council’s Inclusive Education Working Group Re: Ombudsperson Media Release

Vancouver DPAC Statement in response to the BC Ombudsperson’s announcement:

The Inclusive Education Working Group (IEWG) is feeling encouraged and optimistic about the Ombudsperson of British Columbia’s announcement dated January 14, 2025 regarding its investigation into the exclusion of students with disabilities from the province’s public schools. Our group of parents and caregivers of students with disabilities was formed in 2022 as a resource and advocacy body within the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council, directly as a result of the issues that are outlined in the Ombudsperson news release. 

A report that will be imminently released by our working group details the reduced spending, understaffing, lack of transparency, and poor communication that have plagued the VSB in recent years, leading to worsening educational outcomes and negative effects on students with disabilities and their families. Clearly these issues are not limited to our district and organizations such as BCEdAccess and Inclusion BC have for years been drawing attention to the rampant exclusion of students with disabilities in B.C.’s public education system for years. The media has covered these issues repeatedly from districts across the province and yet there has been no positive systemic change. 

The BC Human Rights Code forbids discrimination based on disability in services customarily available to the public, including education. School districts are required to provide meaningful access to education, accommodation to the point of undue hardship, and school boards must ensure that policies and resource allocation support the inclusion of students with disabilities.

It is clear that the public education system is not being managed in a way that ensures equity for all. Students do not have the reliable support and accommodations they need to access the curriculum, they are segregated by restricting them to programs that limit their access to general education, and they are forced to use private resources for tutoring or leave the public school system entirely in order to access a meaningful and effective education. 

We look forward to contributing to the Ombudsperson’s investigation in any way we can and hold hope that the telling of our stories as parents and caregivers of students with disabilities will lead to a provincial education system that is well-resourced and equitable, and one that ultimately leads to the best outcomes for all students in B.C.

A report prepared by members of IEWG: “Advocating for Equity: A Caregiver-Led Examination of Inclusive Education in Vancouver Public Schools” will be released this week with an online presentation of the content and Q&A taking place Wednesday, January 22 at 7pm. To register for the online presentation, please follow this link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/0XCaBYqdQ0WVIfwYGHPTqQ

Join Vancouver DPAC today and empower your voice in shaping our district's education!

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