M’s Education Fund

M’s Education Fund

A little background is that we’ve lived in small town SK for a decade raising 3 kids. We sent our oldest son M at age 13 (now 14) to live with my brother and sister-in-law in BC mid August. They have graciously accommodated M and are treating him as one of their own kids. He is the strong- silent type, internalizing everything and rarely speaking about his problems. We were very concerned about his mental health after years of being sidelined, a disruptive insurance nightmare from the gas water heater fire in our house, then his Mom’s palliative cancer designation, and a few red flags when she worked at a covid test centre & the fallout from that constant fear for our 3 children. All these things have contributed to a rough patch for him that we are trying to help M sort out. This would prove difficult enough for an adult with all the necessary tools at their disposal but he is still a child.

Spending time 1400 km away from us was supposed to be a break from life and routine as he knew it. A confidence building mission living with my brother’s family for the grade 9 year, and 8 weeks in, he is absolutely thriving. Loves his teachers, is making friends at a large public school, enjoying extracurricular activities, and is now smiling without prompting. Even loves doing farm chores and craves the routine, order, and discipline of a busy household there. He actually wants to go to school instead of the usual anxiety and trepidation experienced here.

We gave temporary guardianship to my brother and sister-in-law there to facilitate his successful school registration in May. The public school also required it. This was on a school provided form which we had notarized. 

Last week they were contacted to say the school missed something with M not having a BC health card and we must now pay $11,190 in school fees, one of us move to BC, or permanently transfer custody of M to a BC resident. While moving back to British Columbia is an attractive idea as our SK winter approaches… neither Maryann or I can afford this financially or to be away from the cancer centre and our SK healthcare in place here. 

He was born in Kelowna, we pay tax here, my brother pays tax there. Bringing him back at this point would be taking 10 giant steps back ripping him out of that now familial and comfortable social environment. That would be absolutely defeating and detrimental to any progress that’s been made with his mental health. We have not mentioned what’s happening behind the scenes to him as we are hoping for a quick & favourable resolution.

So far I have reached out (and gotten responses from) an exhaustive list including our MP, MLA, their MLA in BC, the minister of education in SK, etc. We started communication with legal aid here in SK but I fear their response will be too late or that they cannot help. We have solid references for a family lawyer both here in Saskatoon and in Kelowna.

Many friends have suggested crowdfunding so we are organizing this on his behalf. Any funds raised will go to either the necessary legal steps of planting M as a BC resident or his tuition. If there is a balance remaining from whichever is the best option, it will go into his education account.

Thank you for considering M with your support.

Sincerely

Kurt & Maryann