By Blake Ellis, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Petrolia Lambton Independent Roberta Northmore says Indigenous communities with students attending public schools in Lambton-Kent should not have to pay for transportation to get to class. The vice chair of the Lambton-Kent District School Board raised this issue during the March 31 meeting. Director of Education Gary Girardi and Associate Director Brian McKay made a presentation at an Indigenous liaison committee meeting in November where they explained First Nation students living on reserve as designated as fee paying students that are federally funded. Under the Education Act, they are considered \u201cother pupils of the board.\u201d First Nation payment of fees to a school board falls under either an education services agreement or reciprocal education agreement. Under these agreements, transportation costs are not included… <\/p>\n
By Blake Ellis, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Petrolia Lambton Independent Roberta Northmore says Indigenous communities with students attending public schools in Lambton-Kent should not have to pay for transportation to get to class. The vice chair of the Lambton-Kent District School Board raised this issue during the March 31 meeting. Director of Education Gary Girardi and Associate Director Brian McKay made a presentation at an Indigenous liaison committee meeting in November where they explained First Nation students living on reserve as designated as fee paying students that are federally funded. Under the Education Act, they are considered \u201cother pupils of the board.\u201d First Nation payment of fees to a school board falls under either an education services agreement or reciprocal education agreement. Under these agreements, transportation costs are not included... <\/p>\n