B.C. French school board, parents sue province

B.C.'s French-language school authority and a parents group are suing the provincial government, the Conseil Scolaire Francophone announced on Thursday.

Mark Power, the lawyer representing the group, says francophone school facilities are so inadequate that most French students choose to go to English schools.

"The federation of parents and the French-language school board are asking for money to build new schools, said Power.

The lawsuit only relates to facilities, not funding for teachers and courses, he said, but they are also seeking changes to the School Act.

"The second thing the plaintiffs are asking for is a structural change — a change to the School Act and the way it is applied to the Department of Education, so as to avoid the need for litigation in future years," he said.

The Conseil Scolaire Francophone of British Columbia operates 38 schools in B.C. with about 4,370 students.