Tory Promises Equal Funding for Faith-Based Schools: Plan to make Public Education More Inclusive On Saturday, Ontario PC Leader John Tory, Leader of the Official Opposition, articulated a new policy of his party for public funding for faith-based schools. Here is what the policy document actually says: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Take action to bring faith-based schools into the public system. This is a question of fairness. John Tory and the PC Party believe that we need to achieve more effective integration of Ontario's increasingly diverse student population into the mainstream of our province. That's why we are committed to creating an opportunity for non-Catholic, faith-based schools to choose to join our publicly funded education system the same way Catholic schools have already done. Our policy will apply only to faith-based schools and we believe that the best results would be achieved through direct funding rather than through tax credits. With this direct public funding will come strict criteria and accountability requirements. These criteria will include the expectation that participating schools: Fully incorporate the complete requirements of Ontario's common curriculum, just as in the Catholic system; Participate in Ontario's standardized testing program and agree to published results; and Appropriately address teacher credentialing ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: Obviously a great many details need to be worked out to implement this promise if the PCs are elected. The organizations representing the schools will need to work with the government to ensure that implementation is done in such a way that the maximum numbers will be able to benefit. Meanwhile PEEF, with your help, will continue to advocate for the interests of affected families. ******************************************************************************************************************************* Liberal Response: Disappointingly, the Ontario Liberal Party's initial response was not to consider this new proposal on its merits but to issue a strong negative response. Here is what their press release said: Conservatives Going Backwards: New Scheme Leaves 95% of Kids Behind TORONTO, June 8 /CNW/ - The Conservatives have unveiled their latest scheme to take money out of public education to support private schools. The new Conservative scheme would fund 53,000 students enrolled in private schools. At $9,432 per student, funding those 53,000 students with public dollars comes with a $500 million price tag, at the very least. Taking $500 million out of public education will have a massive impact on students in the classroom. It would mean cuts to any of the following areas: Bigger classes - Firing 6300 teachers Less student support - Firing 3800 specialist teachers Less school support - Firing 8500 support staff $7 million slashed from each school board $102,000 funding cut to every school in Ontario Analysis of Liberal Response: It is completely inaccurate to suggest that John Tory's promise to allow non-Catholic faith-based schools the opportunity to become part of the public education system is no different from giving a tax credit to private schools. Presently 93% of children attending faith-based schools in Ontario are included in the publicly funded and regulated education system, with the full support of Premier McGuinty and all three parties at Queen's Park. Why would we not offer an equal opportunity to the other seven percent of children in faith-based schools that are not Catholic, if the schools agree to comply with the standards of the public system? How can anyone say that allowing these children into the public system, in a manner that accommodates their religious needs just as Catholic religious needs are accommodated, will take money out of the public system? ************************************************************************************************* 3. YOUR RESPONSE IS NEEDED! Please send an email or letter (a) to John Tory to thank him for his fairness initiative Copy the email to: john.tory@pc.ola.org; frank.klees@pc.ola.org; ted.arnott@pc.ola.org; cam.jackson@pc.ola.org; laurie.scott@pc.ola.org; elizabeth.witmer@pc.ola.org; john.otoole@pc.ola.org; tim.hudak@pc.ola.org; christine.Elliott@pc.ola.org; toby.barrett@pc.ola.org; ted.chudleigh@pc.ola.org; garfield.dunlop@pc.ola.org; ernie.hardeman@pc.ola.org; lisa.macleod@pc.ola.org, norm.miller@pc.ola.org; julia.munro@pc.ola.org; bill.murdoch@pc.ola.org; jerry.ouellette@pc.ola.org; norm.sterling@pc.ola.org; joe.tascona@pc.ola.org; jim.wilson@pc.ola.org; john.yakabuski@pc.ola.org (b) to Premier McGuinty to appeal to him to reconsider and support this initiative for fairness for all Ontario's children Copy the email to: dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org, info@edu.gov.on.ca; spupatello.mpp@liberal.ola.org; mkwinter.mpp@liberal.ola.org; mbryant.mpp@liberal.ola.org; dcaplan.mpp@liberal.ola.org; dzimmer.mpp@liberal.ola.org; kwynne.mpp@liberal.ola.org; mracco.mpp@liberal.ola.org; mcolle.mpp@liberal.ola.org; kkular.mpp@liberal.ola.org; sqaadri.mpp@liberal.ola.org; machambers.mpp@liberal.ola.org; jcordiano.mpp@liberal.ola.org; mbountrogianni.mpp@liberal.ola.org; dlevac.mpp@liberal.ola.org; dorazietti.mpp@liberal.ola.org; mbrown.mpp@liberal.ola.org; jmossop.mpp@liberal.ola.org; tpeterson.mpp@liberal.ola.org; kramal.mpp@liberal.ola.org; lsandals.mpp@liberal.ola.org; mvanbommel.mpp@liberal.ola.org PEEF will be working to support this policy initiative, and to try to convince members of all parties to support it. If you are willing to help, please contact us.
Write to info@equalfunding.org for more info. Or call 1-877-281-1591 toll free and we will return your call
Home I Articles I Resources I News & Events I Contact I FAQs © Copyright 2006

Designed by shaindydesigns.com