Parents from across 150 communities have signed an open letter to Premier Pallister and Minister Cullen about the recent announcement to amalgamate all the English school divisions.

On March 15, 2021, the province announced that instead of 37 separate school divisions, by 2022 there would be one English division called Provincial Education Authority.

"If passed into law, this act would dismantle our public education system in Manitoba," the letter states in the opening paragraph.

Over 1,500 parents of students from K-12 have already signed the open letter.

"Our elected school trustees will be replaced by a single, largely government-appointed body based in Winnipeg. At the same time, citizens will pay for education through existing taxes, but with no elected voice to ensure money is invested in the communities from which it originates," the letter states in its first point of contention against the Bill.

elected officials in the school system. To take their place would be local parent advisory groups.

"Under the proposed new system, already busy parents will be required to volunteer much more time to take on the responsibilities of the school boards that you want to eliminate," the letter states in its third point. "The chaos that will result from the restructuring and the centralization of education in Manitoba will be unimaginable. School-aged children, parents, families, and all community members will lose an already strong and effective education system if Bill 64—The Education Modernization Act—is passed into law."

The end of the open letter from parents asks for elected MLAs to oppose Bill 64.