As trustees announce school cuts across the province, various stakeholder groups are protesting and calling for improved school funding.

The B.C. Teachers' Federation running tally now lists 176 school closures with 27 more to close after June 2010, and 29 more threatened with closure.

CUPE British Columbia is calling for "an emergency summit on the crisis in public education funding."

In an emergency resolution to be debated this afternoon, CUPE BC calls for support for elected trustees and boards of education who are advocating for fair funding, including the Vancouver Board of Education, which has been subjected to arbitrary and intimidating actions by the BC government.

CUPE BC president Barry O’Neill said that there is a serious lack of transparency about public school enrolment and funding and a real concern that government is becoming more confrontational with boards of education.

“The BC Education Minister and government MLAs’ response to concerns from elected school trustees, staff and parents throughout the province has been to state that government is providing the ‘highest funding ever.’ Well, that’s ringing pretty hollow as districts face historic cuts in services and staff,” said O’Neill.

Meanwhile, the B.C. Society for Public Education has released a survey by Angus Reid Public Opinion, conducted in mid-April, indicating strong support for public schools.

The survey found that 81 percent of those polled wanted the government to do more about public education. Seventy-nine percent wanted more funding for the schools, and "Two out of three people did not agree with continued public funding of private schools."

The B.C. School Trustees' Association, also holding its annual general meeting, has invited the public to watch a webcast on the future of public education, April 22 at 8:00 p.m. and April 23 at 10:45 a.m.

Crawford Kilian is a contributing editor of The Tyee.