School boards across Ontario are passing resolutions stating their support for merging the four publicly funded school systems in the province into one school system.

This is a most welcome, and long overdue, development. Since February, Ontario newspapers have reported that seven boards have passed motions supporting this improvement to Ontario's education system. Through the leadership of Grand Erie District School Board all other public boards are currently considering the issue. As a parent of a Grade 10 student in an Upper Grand District School Board school, I strongly urge our local board to follow their lead and pass a resolution to ask the Ontario Public School Boards' Association to petition the province to create one publicly funded school board.

Currently in Ontario education funding is shared among four publicly funded systems- English Public, French Public, English Separate, and French Separate. Funding crises and school closures due to declining enrolment are major challenges faced by most boards. All those who support the amalgamation of the four boards have cited the financial ramifications as a primary reason for doing so. Savings in administration, transportation, facilities, and maintenance are estimated to be hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Savings in board costs will result in more money for educating the students and better student outcomes.

The reality of declining enrolment, particularly in northern school districts, is that many communities have two halfempty schools, one for Catholics and one for the rest, and both facilities are critically under funded because funding is mainly determined by enrolment. When schools are full, and adequately funded, more variety of courses, meeting more students' needs and interests, are made available. Our principal objective should be to improve student achievement.

The other primary reason for amalgamating the boards is to reduce the religious discrimination in our system. Currently, we fully fund a Catholic (Separate) school system and we provide no funding for any other religion's schools. The Separate system discriminates against non- Catholics in enrolment in elementary schools, and discriminates against non- Catholic teachers at all Grade levels.

The system is legally and constitutionally entitled to discriminate against non- Catholics. It's unethical, it's morally wrong, but they've got the law and the constitution on their side. They've also got history and tradition on their side, but, it's still wrong to discriminate on the basis of religion, especially in publicly funded systems. The law and the constitution can be updated and amended.

In fact, Ontario is the only province that continues discriminate against all non- Catholics in the public funding of schools. Both Newfoundland and Quebec amended the constitution in the 1990's, and they no longer fund Catholic schools. Ontario can easily do the same. Amalgamating the four systems does not necessarily mean that Catholic schools will stop discriminating, but, as the United Nations ruled in 1999, and reiterated in 2005, Ontario should either fund all religions schools or none.

Funding all, with the resultant segregation and decreased tolerance and understanding is the preferred option of only those people who want their private religion based schools to be publicly funded. Those of us who support true public schools, open to all children in the community, value the diversity of religions, and cultures.

The March 27th, 2007 UGDSB board report acknowledged the receipt of a letter from Grand Erie regarding One School System and they passed a motion to include this as a Chair's Committee agenda item for a future meeting. Let's hope they consider the wisdom of Dundas trustee Jessica Brennan, as quoted in the Mountain News, March 30th, "the issue deserves more public debate because education is the second biggest provincial expenditure, next to healthcare.

A provincial election is also an ideal time to talk about education, period, whether it's the structure of education or delivery of education."

"None of the three traditional parties in this province want to touch this at all. I have to look around and see who would be the warriors, therefore, in this conversation and I think it has to be public school board trustees because no one else is going to talk about it. And yes it may be uncomfortable and yes we may have some challenges."

This letter is being copied to all UGDSB trustees. Their names and email addresses are listed on the board's website. Additional information is available at www.oneschoolsystem.org
Paula Conning
    Orangeville