Huge cuts to staffing and programs have been proposed to make up for a $16-million budget shortfall at the Vancouver School Board, and an announcement is expected about whether the board will vote on those proposed cuts tonight.
On Wednesday, kids and parents settled down at Kensington Park for a "read-in" to raise awareness about the cuts that could be on the way.
"Teacher librarians, special needs workers, ESL support, gifted support. Those are going to be some major losses in our children's lives," Heather Legal of the Tecumseh Annex Parent Advisory Council told CTV News.
About 161 full-time equivalent positions are on the line in Vancouver following a revision to the proposed budget, and that's not all –- the band and strings music program could also be cut.
Currently, 51 schools take part in the program, which gives kids a chance to learn a musical instrument.
Alicia Then's son has been playing violin in Jamieson Elementary's program for the last year and a half.
"Two months, he played so well for somebody who just started -- and all the other kids too -- and they really enjoy it," Then said.
"They'll be devastated, the kids. And the parents too."
James Colpitts, the school's orchestra director, said that about 260 Jamieson students are in the program.
"They're worried. I tell them to wait and see what happens," he said.
The proposed cuts were scheduled to go to a final vote at a board meeting tonight, but Board Chairwoman Patti Bacchus has said she will make an announcement this morning regarding that vote.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Maria Weisgarber
