Madam Prime Minister, as an association representing primary and secondary French teachers, we would like to add our voice to those of the cultural and book circles regarding the changes made to the budgetary envelopes intended for school and class libraries as well as to the School Outings and Culture at School measures.
On paper, offering more flexibility to environments may seem like a good idea. In the reality of schools, we rather fear that access to culture will become one variable among others, constantly in competition with urgent and numerous needs.
However, books, meetings with authors, theater outings, museum visits or cultural projects are not incidental activities. It is often these moments that give meaning to school for many young people.
In certain circles, school is the only place where a student will come into contact with Quebec works, discover a living library or attend a show. It is sometimes there that a young person understands that he can like to read, think, create or simply feeling concerned by the world around you.
We also know that the protected measures were of great importance. They guaranteed that the money spent on culture was really used for culture. Without this protection, there is no guarantee that books and cultural outings will withstand cutbacks, unforeseen events or the numerous financial pressures experienced in establishments. With the new French program that will be rolled out, we are deeply concerned about this turnaround. Culture is not an accounting line. And French teachers certainly don’t have to pay the price.
For decades, Quebec has chosen to build public schools and private schools that open up horizons, transmit a common culture and allow young people to develop their critical thinking. These measures were appreciated by the world of education, books and culture. Why demolish these hard-built links?
At a time when several teachers are noticing a decline in the relationship to reading, attention difficulties and a growing disconnection from cultural works and an increase in the place of screens and artificial intelligence, reducing the place given to books and cultural experiences, such as a trip to the museum or a theatrical representation, appears to us to be a worrying step backwards.
We therefore ask the government to preserve measures clearly intended for the purchase of books for school and class libraries, cultural outings and meetings with artists and creators through the Culture at School program.
We sincerely hope that your government will choose to protect this essential access for young people in Quebec.
