Some Halifax councillors are worried what phasing out librarians will mean for students.
On Wednesday, the city voted 8-5 in favour of supplementary funding for Halifax schools over the next five years, but part of the plan includes phasing out librarians and social workers. The funding is in addition to what the provine already spends on education in, but the fund adds an extra boost to the Halifax Regional Education Centre (HRCE).
On his blog, Councillor Sam Austin says he voted against cutting funding because libraries offer a lot beyond just storing books.
He says it will hurt a lot of kids who rely on their programs.
Austin says he would not vote to start sending supplementary funding to the HRCE if the program was created today. Paraphrasing part of a speech from Prime Minister Mark Carney, Austin says we are dealing with the world as it is now and not as we would like it to be.
“I wouldn’t vote to start a program like supplemental funding if it was pitched to me today, but voting to cut something that has existed for over 30 years and that people rely on wasn’t something that I was comfortable doing, especially when the real losers here if no one in government blinks, will be the most vulnerable kids in our community,” wrote Austin in his blog.
Councillor Tony Mancini echoed Austin’s sentiment. He says librarians offer vital supports for students.
He says he did not want to see any reduction in spending, because these supports are vital to students.
“I, along with a number of my colleagues worked very hard to advocate for maintaining this funding. While this agreement reflects where Regional Council ultimately landed, I will continue to speak up for the value these programs and supports bring to our school communities,” Mancini wrote in a social media post.
The provincial government and the HRCE will now decide the fate of librarians and school social workers in Halifax.
In a statement, the education department says they are glad the city will continue its funding for a few years and that they have given the province and the HRCE time to adapt.
“It is no secret that many governments are currently grappling with financial pressures, including HRM. I feel council chose a mindful path that gives HRCE, CSAP and schools time to adapt to incremental change in some services, while prioritizing enhanced music and fine arts programs,” wrote spokesperson Krista Higdon in the statement.
And the department says HRCE is already considering how to start paying for librarians and social workers in Halifax without help from the city.
There are 79 provincially funded social workers in the province, and 28 are in the Halifax area. That represents a third of the province’s total school social workers.
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