OACS News Service

Letter to the Alymer Express Editor
The 'hot topic' of faith-based schools
Tuesday October 9, 2007 -- Tony Dykxhoorn, Alymer
The topic of a recent radio talk show that I listened to was “have you made up your mind who you will vote for in the upcoming provincial election regardless of all the promises made and campaign speeches by the various candidates?”

Surprisingly a lot of people have made up their minds already. Funding faith-based schools as proposed by the Conservative party seems to be a hot topic in this campaign. 

Mr. John Tory, if elected, will bring faith-based schools under the umbrella of the public school system. Premier Dalton McGuinty, however, says that he will not take money out of the public school system to fund these private schools. When I heard that comment it made me confused and angry.  What the Premier is doing is fear mongering the people of Ontario. His statement could not be farther from the truth.  I would like to ask Premier McGuinty two questions:

1. If all students who now attend Faith based schools, both elementary and high school, (which number some 50,000 plus across the province) would enroll in their local public schools tomorrow, would your government give these schools additional funding for these “extra students?”
2. Would your government reduce the amount of per-pupil grant that these schools now receive as a result of the increased enrollment?

I ask this because, Mr. McGuinty, you said that by funding faith based schools you would be taking money away from the public system. If you would answer ‘yes’ to my first question then you are, in affect, agreeing that also these students are entitled to government funding. If you answer that question with ‘no’ then please tell the people of Ontario the truth. Therefore, Mr. McGuinty, I ask you, what really is your problem?

The fact of the matter is that over the past years the Provincial government has withheld billions of dollars from dedicated parents who desire that the school their children attend to be an extension of their home, offering their children not only a quality education but also moral and ethical values that mirror those taught at home.

These parents often sacrifice many luxuries that most of society takes for granted in order for their children to be able to attend the school they feel best meets their family’s needs.  These same parents still pay their education tax dollars which they must allocate to either the public or the Catholic school system, how bizarre is that! Withholding funding from faith-based schools is an unjust and shameful act. 

Yes, I believe the government has a responsibility to see that all schools meet the same standards in their curriculum and that the teaching staff be qualified and accredited individuals.  Check out the faith-based schools – you’ll find that most, if not all of them not only meet, but in most cases surpass government issued standards. 

I know that being angry is bad for my health but let me blow off some steam, it makes me feel better. Oh, I almost forgot – is my mind made up on who I’ll vote for?  You better believe it!