Faith-based schools
OTTAWA, ONTARIO – Imagine a perfect school system. The kind of system where parents are free to choose the most appropriate schools for their children. The kind of school system that induces a strong sense of accountability. One that caters to each individual child, according to his or her learning style and needs.
In fact, we have such a school system in Ontario. But – and of course there is a but – only part of it is funded. The other part, the part that the taxpayer pays nothing for, is the independent school system. It used to be that private schools were “elite” schools, and only the privileged attended. Now, in excess of 120,000 children attend independent schools in Ontario and the vast majority of them are from middle-class families.
John Tory, leader of the Progressive Conservative party, has said that, if elected, his party would extend funding to faith-based schools, provided they incorporate the Ontario curriculum, hire accredited teachers and take part in standardized testing.
About 53,000 students in Ontario attend faith-based schools. Following the announcement of Mr. Tory’s promise to fund those darned divisive, religious schools, it has been argued that there simply won’t be enough money in the pot to fund them anyway. While the Conservative leader has said the price tag for his plan to provide money for private, religious schools is $400 million, Education Minister Kathleen Wynne says the Liberals have priced it at $500 million, at least.
It has also been claimed that there is a perfectly good public school system being paid for already. Well, the parents of more than 120,000 children obviously don’t agree that the public system is adequate, or they’d send their children there — at no extra cost.
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Tags: children, Kathleen Wynne, Ontario, schools
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