The never-ending school story

There is a commendably civil debate still going on several posts back - School controversy not over yet.

This was the post that featured an elaborate comment from an even earlier post by Education Equality president Leonard Baak. Since then, Mr. Baak and others have been carrying on a spirited debate regarding public education, and specifically Education Equality's push for a single school system.

Advocates of other points of view have been joining in.

More issues have come up tangentially, including the current TDSB's contemplation of a school for blacks only.

Lorrie Goldstein's column in today's Sun, Black School a phony fix, suggests that a one-off pilot project like this is not going to address the underlying problems facing public education today.

I personally don't think that getting rid of public funding for Catholic schools will "fix" it either, although it would be one way of addressing the religious discrimination issue that concerns Mr. Baak and others. Another way of course would be to follow John Tory's prescription, but Ontario has already rendered its verdict on that subject.

Goldstein's common sense suggestions of merit pay, proper discipline, vouchers and charter schools (among others) are worth considering.

Just like health care, there are some serious issues in Ontario. Will the McGuinty government one day have the intestinal fortitude to look for real answers rather than pandering to the unions?

I'm not holding my breath.

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Update: For more information concerning points of view that differ from Education Equality, please check out Society for Quality Education, which offers lots of information on alternative school systems that are working well across the country, and more.


Here's what I'd like to know - how many of these types of 'anomalies' exist right now in Ontario?


Monday Update: School board's odd dance - Moira Macdonald (Sun).

The Enablers

Aboriginal Day of Action recap:

Winnipeg does it right.


Meanwhile in Ontario, Shawn Brant announces that he plans to break the law. Ontario asks, "How can we help?"

Dalton McGuinty smiles at the end of the day, knowing that not one drop of blood has tainted his re-election chances. Mission accomplished.

Fantino declares that Brant will be "held accountable".

Shawn Brant toys with the idea of turning himself in this week - (Globe)

Who's in charge in Ontario? And what about the next time?

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This story isn't over folks (from Globe link):

In a leaked training manual, the Department of National Defence lists militant Mohawks as a major national-security threat, alongside groups such as Islamic Jihad.

"You know, when they brought out the DND training manual, listing the Mohawks along with Hezbollah and Taliban, most people were so offended by that," Mr. Brant said. But he wasn't. "It was the first time I felt happy for being identified as what we are - not terrorists, but as an insurgency, people trying to overthrow this government."

There is also an Algonquin claim to Parliament Hill, along with "pretty much all of Eastern Ontario" (H/T to reader Mac).

If Friday is any indication of things to come, we may as well just hand over the keys now.

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Update: Upper Canada Catholic - Don't Get Mad at the Natives. This post contains an update explaining how police neglected their duty.