NB Schools Getting a Lil' TOO Real With Budget Cuts 📚✂️
N.B. school districts ordered to ‘redirect’ budgets, resulting in library worker layoffs. Okay, so, New Brunswick schools are straight-up telling districts to "redirect" their money, and now library peeps are getting the boot. Like, what?! The province says it's all about focusing on reading and mat
TL:DR
Okay, so, New Brunswick schools are straight-up telling districts to "redirect" their money, and now library peeps are getting the boot. Like, what?! The province says it's all about focusing on reading and math, but the union's not vibing with it. Could be a whole mess for students and staff. 👀
The Tea is Spilling 🍵
Alright, fam, listen up. The Holt government in New Brunswick is making some questionable moves. They're telling all seven school districts to "redirect" their budgets. I'm not even sure what that means but hold up, it gets worse. It's basically a green light for layoffs, and the library staff are catching strays. 😬
Like, Anglophone School District West just yeeted out 69 layoff letters. Thirty-two of those were library workers! Also, 19 education assistants, 10 administrative assistants, seven district administrative support staff members, and even one student attendant?! That's a whole squad getting the axe. 🪓
So, why all the drama? Apparently, the province wants the school districts to find $43 million in their budgets and use it to pump up literacy and numeracy skills in the classroom. Minister Claire Johnson said they wanna make sure resources are going to students and teaching reading. And get this, she said the library doors will stay open. But like, with who working there?? 🤨
Theresa McAllister, the head of CUPE Local 2745, is Big Mad. She's worried other school districts are gonna pull the same stunt. And she's right, it's gonna mess with the students. The Green Party Leader, David Coon, is also not here for it. He says the schools are just being forced to cover the province's budget issues.
Anglophone School District West straight up said the library cuts are gonna make up a big chunk of the cash they gotta "recoup." But, uh, they also said laid-off workers can apply for 189 open jobs in the district. So... maybe it's not a total L? 🤔
CTV News mentioned the province added $85 million to the education department's $1.6 billion budget. But if we're being real, the district is facing a $9.26 million budget cut and also that the government is facing a projected $549 million budget deficit. But we all know the struggle of trying to adult when your bank account is running on fumes.
In the meantime, the CUPE Local 2745 union is planning to fight if other educational staff are asked to take on the work of library workers and will be filing grievances.
Basically, the education system is getting a major glow-down, and we gotta keep our eyes on it, fam. 👀
Abbreviations Glossary
| Abbreviation | Full Form |
|---|---|
| Tea | Gossip, news, important info. |
| Straight-up | Honest, direct, no BS. |
| Peeps | People. |
| Vibing | Agreeing, feeling positive about something. |
| Mess | A problematic or chaotic situation. |
| Catching strays | Unintentionally affected by something negative. |
| Yeeted out | Threw out, eliminated quickly. |
| Axe | To be fired or laid off from a job. |
| Big Mad | Very angry. |
| Not here for it | Disapproving of something. |
| Stunt | Something done for attention or in a showy way. |
| Recoup | To get back money or resources. |
| L | Loss. |
| Glow-down | A negative change or decline. |