When I first read the Toronto Star article "Catholic schools: Ontario parents fighting to have children exempt from religious studies," I wondered why Oliver Erazo sends his kids to Catholic school? And why is he spending so much energy fighting the Catholic board? His kids belong in the public system. But of course this is the public system, and this school is close to their home and has good ratings. Why should they go elsewhere?
Turns out according to Erazo's lawyer, Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, the law clearly states parents can get a full exemption for their children from religious courses and programs. The Catholic Board has granted them most of what they've requested, but won't acknowledge the legal requirement to do so under the Education Act.
I am a big believer in eliminating the publicly-funded Catholic school system altogether. I have nothing against Catholic schools, or only as much as I have against Jewish schools, Muslim schools or any other parochial school. I'd prefer to see religion relegated to the realm of extracurricular, but if you want it all day long, it's your choice. Just pay for it yourself.
No government is going to approve funding for additional religious schools, but that doesn't mean those communities are not fighting for it on the principal of equity. And so they should. The system is unfair. But the route to equality is not to fund all, it's to fund none. It's so obvious.
I'm tired of hearing that access to a Catholic Education is guaranteed in the British North America Act. Lots of sexist, homophobic, racist, inequitable and exclusionary practices are grounded in ancient laws from religious texts to constitutions. That's no reason to keep them. In fact, we've slowly gotten rid of the most offensive of them because as a society, we believe they no longer represent our collective values. There may have been a good progressive reason in Protestant 1867 to protect the rights of minority Catholics, but today our pluralist society will be best served by secular education.
But sadly our Ontario politicians are too chicken to even wade into this debate, never mind do away with the injustice, as other provinces have been bold enough to do. I had a secret fantasy that as a parting gesture Dalton Mcguinty would end public funding for Catholic Education. But he didn't. Will Kathleen Wynne? I doubt it.
So this brings me back to Oliver Erazo, and his sons Amilcar and Jonathan. I'm revising my initial reaction of What can they possibly hope to achieve? I think they're on to something, as were the students and teachers who fought the Catholic Board's ban on Gay Straight Alliance clubs and won, despite the Church's homophobic doctrine.
The way to get to where we need to be -- one healthy public school system -- may just be through incremental challenges: putting time and energy into chipping away at the differences, to the point where the systems are so completely alike, there is no point in having both.
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I would prefer a voucher system, where you could use the voucher at any provincially approved school. Competition would increase the education levels dramatically, and give parents more choice
What is your evidence that competition increases the education levels dramatically? The more widely dispersed the pupils are, the lower the economies of scale, in transportation, material purchasing, teachers, buildings, etc., resulting in increasing costs per pupil. Danny Handelman
If you have only one burger joint, the quality would be crap and the price would be high.
The school system is the one burger joint, high cost and crap product.
School boards official answer is below ....
... In accordance with the above principle, the Halton Catholic District School Board’s policy states that “If the child has no Roman/Eastern rite Catholic baptismal certificate, the child may be admitted if one parent can provide a Roman/Eastern Rite Catholic baptismal certificate”. If there is a problem with this requirement, the parent must arrange to meet with the parish priest and commit to having the child baptized or, if baptized in another Christian faith, to have their child received into the Catholic Church. There is also a commitment on the part of the parents to raise the child Catholic in their parish community.
We appreciate your interest in having your child attend our Catholic school system. However, the requirements of the Board’s Policy on Admission are quite prescriptive, and in the absence of a letter of support from the Catholic Parish Priest in your jurisdiction, we would not able to support her admission.
It is known fact that we all pay for Catholic Schools. All Ontarians bear the same tax burden, based on their income, not their faith, but only those of the Catholic faith are guaranteed a publicly funded school choice. School support designations on municipal property assessments have no effect on total school board funding, which is determined solely by enrolment and other documented needs. The Roman Catholic school system gets about one-third of Ontario’s $24-billion education budget, but only 23 per cent of electors direct their education taxes to separate schools. You still believe that it is not discriminatory ?
You don't get to ignore an express provision in the Constitution simply because you do not happen to like it. No, not even if you **really-really-really** don't like it, nor even if you are reallyreallyreally are tired of being reminded of this simple fundamental fact. While I am not a great fan of this provision of the Constitution, I am even LESS of a fan of inviting endless Constitutional wrangling by opening that Pandora's box. You don't get to restrict the nature of the debate with Quebec just because you want to amend and talk about only your pet peeve. Grow up.
35. (1) The existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada are hereby recognized and affirmed.
(2) In this Act, "aboriginal peoples of Canada" includes the Indian, Inuit, and Metis peoples of Canada.
(3) For greater certainty, in subsection (1) "treaty rights" includes rights that now exist by way of land claims agreements or may be so acquired.
(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the aboriginal and treaty rights referred to in subsection (1) are guaranteed equally to male and female persons.
I had a lot of fun there.
If you look back at history, were it not for Church schools, there would have been no schools.
I believe in our FREE society, there is a place for religious schools; Catholic, Evangelical, Muslim or whatever the need, including secular for those who do not wish their children to have a faith. My only concern is that they all provide the same basic curriculum as set down by the province.
Oh, while we're at it, there are a few dozen more items to address if we are going to do that... :D
Like most "amalgamation will provide cost savings" arguments, this one falls apart easily. Who believes that regional level amalgamation actually has benefited most citizens? Not me. Service levels have gone down, taxes up. I doubt the whole "get rid of Catholic schools" topic's validity.
I also question the writer's motives and premise.
Education property taxes are actually decreasing. The education property tax rate are less for commercial properties constructed since 2007 and the province, I believe, is gradually reducing the education property tax rate for commercial properties constructed prior to 2007 to eventually be equal to the properties constructed since 2007. The total education property taxes collected from residential properties are staying constant (which actually means a decline when inflation is taken into account) due to the fact that the rate is decreasing each assessment cycle increases the residential property values. Danny Handelman
Face it, freedom of information means the hundreds of lies told by "good" parents such as yourself will ever-more-quickly be exposed for what they are. But hey, maybe you can afford to live in one of those fortress communities that more and more rich conservative people are building to "protect" their families from the mess that THEY created.
Way to try to subvert a debate...
It funny to see the fighters for "freedom of information" like yourself fight to push YOUR version of reality down MY throat. It's also amazing to see how quickly you can judge me, by one article. Apparently you amazing analytical skills can determine [1] I tell lies, [2] I'm a bad parent, [3] live in a fortress community, [4] am rich [5] conservative and [6] created this mess myself. Take another look in the mirror and figure out who's the narrow minded judgmental type.
Children don't need to know about any sexual acts and they don't need to be brainwashed about homosexuality as toddlers.
With increased sex education, the number of teen pregnancies has sky rocketed & increased education about "safe" sex (a misnomer since there is no such thing) STDs have sky rocketed -- children don't need to be informed about sex. They need to be taught about math, reading & art & history etc.
Public schools in SW Ontario have been handed over to sex education & explaining homosexuality & why bobby has two mommies, they've been turned into ghetto's where bullying, sex, racism & violence are rampant. The teachers & principals do nothing and are only interested in fighting for their bloated benefits, salaries, unions & pensions meanwhile students & parents are on their own when their children are being attacked , terrorized or molested. (a four year old girl was trying to kiss the boys on the mouth, using tongue.great huh?)
If anyone objects you're called a homophobe or a prude or an irresponsible parent who want to put their kids in the basement , like the other comments replying to your opinion.
There are real problems & dangers in Ontario public schools and that is why parents are fleeing to Jewish, Muslim,Christian, Hindu etc. schools. It's not just for religious teachings, its to keep their children safe & innocent for as long as possible. That is being a loving, responsible parent.
Just another issue our politicians are too spineless to discuss.
The notion that funding for Roman Catholic school is guaranteed in the BNA Act (now, called the Constitution Act of 1867) is a notion promoted by the Roman Catholic apologists and is not accurate. The Act enables provinces that had funding for minority religious schools in place before Confederation to continue with that. In Ontario's case, that was the Scott Act that guaranteed funding to the end of grade 8. All additional funding is the result of legislation.
All the other provinces that had publicly funded religious schools have abandoned them. You are right Ontario politicians need to get this done.