Campbell River Teachers Share Concerns Over District Budget

The Campbell River District Teachers’ Association has highlighted concerns regarding the proposed 2025–2026 budget for School District 72, namely the potential impacts of proposed reductions on students, staff, and the broader school community.

President Debra Coombes said that while the association recognizes the difficult financial landscape facing many BC school districts, including Campbell River, they feel the current budget proposals will have a lasting impact on core instructional supports.

She shared concerns regarding the proposal to have teacher librarians cover instructional prep time and how this will result in reductions to specialist teaching positions, reduce access to libraries, impact teacher librarians’ flexibility and educational role, as well as potentially jeopardize book fairs and the district-wide “Battle of the Books”.

Coombes also shared concerns about the proposed reduction in teacher coordinators and how that move will affect both teacher development and direct student support, as many coordinators also co-teach, model lessons, and mentor educators in schools in areas such as literacy, numeracy, Indigenous education, and social-emotional learning.

At last week’s board meeting, Coombes urged trustees to strengthen their advocacy for improved provincial funding, emphasizing that rising costs, inflation, and unfunded ministry mandates continue to put pressure on district budgets.

For more information, visit School District 72.