During the last provincial election in Ontario, Dalton McShifty and his Liberal posse railed for a month about how the public school system is “for everyone” and “together” and rah rah rah we are one big happy family. And that the reason a community as multicultured as Toronto has little violence is because the kids grow up in schoo….”together”. Those were Dalton’s words, not mine.
Well a couple of days ago, the Toronto District School Board passed by a vote of 12 to 11 a motion to create an Afro-Centric School and I have yet to hear either the Premier or his Minister of Education speak out against this decision.
So it seems the provincial Liberals have a problem with “faith based schools” and did not want to create further segregation there, but when it comes to race, they stay silent.
Another group that deserves to be slapped is the Ontario Teachers Union. During the last election they bragged relentlessly in TV commercials about how the education system was working and doing great things. Why even bother mentioning the fact that it was pretty crass of them to pay for these commercials in the heart of an election run where the hottest topic was the faith based school funding issue? Well if the school system is working so well, why are we now creating a segregated system within the publicly funded umbrella.
The answer is simply hypocrisy at it’s finest.
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I see that the province has refused to provide extra funding for the board’s decision. You can’t blame the Liberals for this one.
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I see that the province has refused to provide extra funding for the board’s decision.
For the moment.
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The province has refused to provide extra funding for the board’s decision.
This comming from the biggest liar, the province of Ontario has ever seen!
100 bucks says they find a way to fund it,
and Mcshifty will regretably, reluctantly admit,
“it was afterall, the right thing to do.”
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Winnipeg Free Press just posted:
* In Winnipeg, roughly 225 students attend the Children of the Earth School, an aboriginal-focused high school that opened in 1991.
* The school, which in 2005 made Maclean’s Magazine’s list of the country’s top 10 high schools, offers Cree and Ojibway classes to its mostly aboriginal student body, and roughly 75 per cent of grads go on to post-secondary school.
* Winnipeg is also home to Niji Mahkwa School, a nursery to Grade 8 school with an aboriginal focus. Roughly 310 students attend the school, which opened in 1994.
Personal note:
I fully support all alternative so long as they raise the kids’ self esteem, keep the kids engaged, are relevant to the kids and families who support them and have staff who are committed to the school. A common focus creates a bond between staff, students and their families – it does not matter if the focus is arts, sports, language, culture or religion.
The many alternative schools across Canada are highly successful. One third of Ontario’s publicly funded school are Catholic, many others are French. We have over 100 Specialty schools, many of which are arts and sports-based, with plans to have 100 more.
The Africentric school model is culture/spiritually-based; it is not FOR Blacks, it is ABOUT Blacks (it will be focused on one of the many black cultures)
It should not matter what a school’s focus is – Basketball or Basketweaving, makes no difference to me! The key is that the kids want to be there and are learning the basic curriculum in addition to the school focus.
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How is it hypocrisy if the government isn’t funding it. If they can fund it themselves then fair enough!
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Of course the government would be funding the Africentric school! When McGuinty said “no funding” that was in response to the estimated half a million dollars in start up costs. Otherwise, the school would be funded the same as any other publicly funded school on a per student cost of about $10,000.
Why is it some alternative/specialty schools are funded while others are not? THAT is the hypocrisy. Double the hypocrisy is that McGuinty went to a fully funded (with start up costs and busing) Catholic school, his kids also attended and his wife continues to teach at one.
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Gila… evidence?
I have some. First take a look at:
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/298714
Where it was said:
“Trustee Josh Matlow, who opposed the pilot project school, warned that there is no guaranteed funding from Queen’s Park yet for even the estimated start-up costs of $350,000.”
Sounds to me like it’s far from clear that “of course the governmenet would be funding…” as you state above.
Also take a peek at :
http://www.macleans.ca/education/universities/article.jsp?content=20080201_113702_4516
Where McGuinty himself states:
“I am disappointed with the board’s decision,” McGuinty said. “I don’t support it and we won’t fund it. I continue to believe that the best way for us to educate our children is to bring them together so they can come together, learn together and grow together.”
Sounds to me like CLEARLY the government won’t be funding this little venture. I agree that his apparant flip-flop position on this does not appear consistent but it’s a far cry from the claims you are making which (from my investigation) I can find nothing to substantiate…
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Maybe I wasn’t clear enough so I will try again:
There is the basic funding for all kids in schools belonging to public, Catholic or French school boards of approx $10,000. Neither Matlow nor McGuinty are suggesting this money will not flow for students in a TDSB Africentric school – flow it will!
Then there is the necessary start up costs for training, resource materials, etc necessary for any new project. Matlow and McGuinty are both suggesting that this start-up funding might not be easily available (meaning the TDSB might have to find it in their regular budget for school maintanance and other costs.) I wonder if Africentric supporters can find some sponsors.
During all this debate, start up and renovation costs continue to flow to Catholic schools including where McGuinty, his nine siblings, his kids, his nieces and nephews attended and where his wife continues to teach.
Start up costs have also been made available for some new art-based schools (including Catholic Arts-based schools.)
We continue to fund five Ukrainain Eastern Rite/Byzantine schools under three Roman Catholic school boards.
We have two fully funded Protestant schools – Niagara and Penetanguishene. When Education Minister Wynne was asked “why” she replied that they are “anomalies”. Where do I get the forms and how do I apply for “anomaly” funding?!?