After parents sounded the alarm over some Surrey schools going without paper and paper towels, the city's mayor has stepped in to help.
On Tuesday (May 6), Surrey Fire Fighters Association and Mayor Brenda Locke stopped by the Surrey Teachers' Association office to drop off $5,000 worth of printer paper and $5,000 worth of paper towels to be distributed to the schools in need.
Angela Marcakis, first vice-president of Surrey Teachers' Association, and Manjit Dulla, the union's health and safety grievance officer, thanked the city and the firefighters' charity for stepping in to help.
"These gifts are deeply appreciated, but the fact that they're needed at all should sound alarm bells," Marcakis said.
A parent first sounded the alarm to Peace Arch News last month about Ellendale Elementary going without paper and paper towels at the small school in North Surrey. According to the union representative, 46 schools have reported to the STA that they are running low or out of paper.
"Teachers shared that they're given one bundle of paper to last them the entire school year so they carry that with them to and from the photo copier. One teacher mentioned they found one bundle left behind by another teacher and said it was like finding hidden treasure," Marcakis added.
"It's not just paper. At one school, staff were told to use a shared cloth towel because there weren't enough paper towels so each classroom was given one cloth towel to be shared amongst 20 to 30 children. So you can imagine by recess, this towel was soaking wet, sometimes found on the floor. That's unhygienic, it's unsafe and it's unacceptable."
The STA and Locke both pointed to the province not keeping up with funding needs as the reason so many schools are struggling with the basic needs such as paper and paper towels.
"I'm so glad that we can do that, but I'm so sad that we have to do that," Locke said to PAN.
"Paper should just be something teachers shouldn't have to worry about if they're getting it for their students."
Parents and even some teachers have spoken to her about the lack of paper and other classroom resources, sparking a need in her to want to help.
"I said 'I think this is something that we need to take a look at, we need to help out the kids in schools' and we can do that quickly, so the firefighters got on it and got the product," she explained.
"It felt like the right thing to do and we can do it quickly and hopefully solve a very small problem, but in the classroom, I'm sure that's a very big challenge. ... As a mayor, everything matters to me. I want everything to tick in this city and everything to work."
After the STA office stop Tuesday afternoon, Locke and the Fire Fighters Association also made a stop at a high school in Surrey to donate refurbished laptops.
According to Dulla, all of the five schools that will see the paper donated to as a priority are in North Surrey, while the leftover supply will remain at the STA office and will be distributed to other schools who reach out for the support.
"Funding should reflect the actual needs of our students in classrooms. We're deeply grateful for the Surrey Firefighters for stepping up to fill the need," Marcakis said.
Dulla added: "It's really sad to see donations fill the void, there shouldn't be a need for donations."
The lack of funding to all involved could not be clearer than not having a basic need such as paper in classrooms, the groups shared.
"We have so many gaps in the city of Surrey. Our growth has really hit that tipping point in Surrey where we're really feeling it, so absolutely we will put up our hands and say we need help, but when we can also help ourselves, we will do that too," Locke said.
"We need more funding for Surrey schools, there's no question about that. ... We need to know the long-term plan, we're about to be a million people, this is a symptom for our lack of funding in Surrey."
To the firefighters, choosing to help out was an easy decision.
"We saw a need and so we helped. It's about helping the youth in the community and having the resources they need to succeed," said the association's president, Saverio Lattanzio, who was present to drop off the donation.
