Carr warns of District 1 takeover after dispute

Education Minister Jody Carr is threatening to take over the District 1 Education Council if it fails to cut the mandated two per cent from its budget.

The school district that represents francphone schools in Moncton, Fredericton and Saint John has resisted the Department of Education's imposition of a two per cent budget cut.

Ernest Thibodeau, the district's chairman, said classroom learning would be hurt if it followed through on the provincial government's demand so it is refusing.

Thibodeau said District 1 may submit a budget that runs a deficit but Carr says that is not an option.

Carr said the school district isn't even trying to come up with savings.

The education minister said if the school district can't manage its finances, he will be forced to do it.

"If they are suggesting they are going to give up their role in managing decisions at the local level, I would entertain discussing that with them," Carr said.

Thibodeau told a news conference on Wednesday that if the district did follow through with the department's cuts it would have to drop 10 teaching positions or 45 teaching assistants.

The district has seen its enrolment increase by 13 per cent since 2003. Specifically, its kindergarten population has spiked by 60 per cent.

Thibodeau said the district needs more funding to meet its needs.

Other solutions

The education minister pointed out that other school districts have managed to find creative ways to reduce their budgets.

"One district in particular, District 5, found $30,000 in phone lines not even being used," Carr said.

Other school district superintendents say they have been able to wrestle down their costs.

Lisa Gallagher, the superintendent of School District 14, which covers Burtts Corner to Edmundston, said she doesn't want to get mixed up in the controversy with District 1. But she said she expects to save money by trading travel for video conferencing.

"Good grief, you certainly can come up with a different plan for doing things and savings can be found when you are thinking that way," she said.