THE VISION FOR PROXIMATE JUSTICE IN ONTARIO EDUCATION |
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Concerns |
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This will be a watershed election for Ontario’s education systems and policies. |
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Mr. McGuinty has made it abundantly clear that there will be no two-tier health care and no two-tier education in his lifetime. Public means a centralized monopoly position under his government, ignoring the 870 private schools in existence today. |
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Mr. Tory has staked his future on creating an inclusive diversity in both fields, using both public and private resources to improve the delivery of both health and education services to all citizens. This begins by including 400 faith-based schools. |
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Health and Education are the two biggest budget sectors and the foundation for a prosperous economy in the Western World. Everyone is in favour of more funding for them. So money is not the issue. |
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Many Christian school supporters have questions about how Mr. Tory plans to deliver his plan for inclusion and respect for differences without undermining the integrity of Christian education. |
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Facts |
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The answers are not available before the Davis Commission Reports, but some of the lessons from the Western Provinces may be helpful; especially from British Columbia. |
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The imposition of provincial exams did not have a negative impact on the curriculum content in Christian high schools. |
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The requirement for regular government inspections did not influence management negatively, and is generally seen to be helpful in improving the school. The official report definitely helps with public credibility for the school. |
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The mechanism of direct grants to the school is considered to be a very positive strategy, since the money must be used for educational purposes. The money cannot be diverted elsewhere. |
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Government funding did not impact parent participation attitudes. The fact is that these attitudes depend on the school’s own culture, not its budget or tuition levels. |
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Enrollment definitely improved with funding, exposing many more children from varied backgrounds to Christian education. |
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Principles |
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Justice is normally defined as the Government’s obligation to respect and enforce the rights of citizens with equitable policies. |
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A fair funding solution would give legitimate faith-based schools the same rights as the other minorities, Catholic, French and Native. |
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Proximate justice is working for partial results (e.g., health funding) on the way to the just goal of equitable recognition for independent schools. |
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Talking Points |
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Politics is the art of the possible, as many Christian theologians from Augustine to Kuyper have said and practiced in order to maintain a viable Christian presence in the public square. |
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Should we go home and pack up our marbles just because we cannot get to a perfect solution? And who has the perfect solution? |
