30 years ago a discussion pamphlet — Let's Talk About Schools — identified 41 issues that the government wanted input on and which would help shape policy and a new School Act. The Act had not been substantially changed since 1958. These are the points:
1. Do today’s goals for education accurately reflect our society’s beliefs?
2. Are all of these goals of equal importance?
3. Which goals of education should schools pursue?
4. What should be taught and learned in schools?
5. How should it be taught?
6. In determining what should be taught and learned in schools, what should be the role of the Provincial authorities? The local school boards? The professionals? Parents? The public? Pupils?
7. Are our public schools capable of responding to the many and varied needs of the people of British Columbia?
8. Are there other forms of schooling which should be publicly supported? How should such forms of schooling be monitored and by whom?
9. Should public choice in schooling be enhanced? If so, how?
10. What standards should be established for all schools, public and otherwise? Should standards be established for all grades and all subjects? Who should establish these standards? Should standards be monitored? How? By whom?
11. To what extent should Province-wide examinations exist? What purposes can such examinations serve?
12. To what extent should entrance requirements set by post-secondary institutions determine secondary school curricula and standards?
13. How might technological change affect the schools?
14. To what extent can schools capitalize on technological change?
15. How can schools accommodate this technological change and make it part of school operations and programs?
16. Are there inherent dangers in accommodating technological change? If so, what are they?
17. To what extent should parents and other members of the community be involved with schools, and to what extent should schools be involved in the life of the community?
18. How can school-community relations be strengthened?
19. What should be areas of consultation for trustees, school professionals, parents, and the community?
[more later]