- Parents & Supporters Participating In The School Choice Debate -

April 20 2008

It`s bad enough that the current Liberal government denies funding to parents of children who send their children to independent schools in Ontario, but now they`ve decided fulfill a mission of removing funding that`s already in place and given out by the federal government. That`s right - the Ontario government is refusing to distribute federal grants for french instruction to private elementary schools. The federal government is still offering the grants - the provincial government is no longer going to give them to independent schools. Their reason? They`re only obligated to provide for publicly funded schools in the province of Ontario!!

Read this supporter`s letter to the editor and consider writing one of your own!
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During the recent PC Party Policy Conference (February 22-24 2008), Leader John Tory, was subject of a vote on whether he should continue his leadership of the party. He promised that the issue of faith-based schools was 'closed for good' and he also promised to re-invigorate the PAC (policy advisory councils) that helped devise policy for the party (and helped win elections in the past!). Guess what the education PAC came up with during that convention - more choice for parents in schools and even vouchers!
*Send a copy of this article to John Tory and ask him how he's planning to keep both of those promises that seem to be completely opposite each other.
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THIS ONE'S CLEVER! - Consider writing something like this to Premier McGuinty demanding he "look into" the social cohesion threat that faith-based independent schools present to the province and which he warned strongly against during the election. If such things are being allowed to roam free in Ontario, he should, as premier, do everything he can to put an end to them. Of course, we all know what such an investigation would find and he'll never do it, but it's good to put him on notice.
*Don't forget to send a copy of your letter to your local newspaper!!!

Dear Editor:

It is now about a month since the provincial election and I am puzzled at the quietness by the Premier and local Liberal MPP's.  During the past campaign the Liberal strategy was to use innuendo against the proposal for extending government funding to all faith based schools.  A few 'buzz' words were floated by the Liberals and they stepped back to chuckle at the frenzy of intolerance that was unleashed.

Let us be honest here. The Liberals used imagery that religious schools were training up the impressionable to become fanatical fundamentalists. Specifically, though not so much in this area, the Liberals drew upon the worries of the electorate that fellow Muslim citizens of the province were intent on setting up  Madras schools.  Some of these schools in other countries teach a radical version of the Islamic faith. Using these as examples the Liberals crafted a phoney campaign to tar all faith based schools with the same brush.

I now challenge the Premier to step forward and announce a wide spread investigation into  the faith based schools of the province.  If there is such a dire threat, as they inferred with such clever calculations, then the citizens of Ontario need to know that such intolerance is not being perpetrated.  If this threat does not exist then these leaders owe an apology to those citizens who have been defamed.  If this threat does not exist, shame on these illiberal Liberals for their crassness.  The political leadership in this province should not be allowed to infect the minds of the citizens with bigotry and then pretend there are no consequences for their actions.

We cannot have faith based schools that demean differing religious principles of other people.  We cannot have schools that take religious beliefs and dress them up as scientific principles.  We cannot accept schools that breed violence, intolerance and ignorance.  After all, that is what we have the secular public schools for.

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LETTER OF THE WEEK - November 30 2007

These letters appeared together on the editorial page of The Toronto Star. Right now, the negative responses to the issue of funding faith-based independent school children is 4 to 1. You can help change this by sending something positive and supportive of the issue to your own local newspaper. Use our Q&A's to help you write. All your newspaper contacts can be found in our "links" section.
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Here is a letter to the editor that simply unearths the fear-mongering arguments of the educational establishment when it comes to extending government supported school choice in Ontario. It appeared in The Kitchener Record on June 16, 2007.
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Government Invitation! - PEC was invited to the Ontario Liberal Government's Pre-Budget Consultations in November 2006. We submitted a proposal showing that implementing government supported school choice in Ontario is a great equalizer when attempting to bring about fiscal responsibility. Please read our submission and feel free to use it in portions or its entirety when participating in budget meetings in your own consitutuency - PEC 2006 Pre-Budget Submission
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Who Pays?! - According to the Retail Council of Canada, Ontarians hit the hardest by cancelled tax cuts and credits and newly imposed taxes have household disposable income between $35,000 and $100,000. Many parents sending their children to independent schools fit into this category and are among the Ontarians who are working harder than ever before, yet seeing themselves fall further and further behind.

Ontario Families Are Being Squeezed
Reduced Annual Disposable Household Income
Health Tax - $690.00
Cancelled Income Tax Cuts - $240.00
Cancelled EETC - $1200
Increased Annual Out-of-Pocket Costs
Increased Electricity Costs - $180.00
Increased Home Heating Costs - $250.00
Increased Transportation Costs
Gas - $600.00
Increased Driver's Licence Fee - $50.00
Increased Health Care Costs
Annual Eye Exam - $150.00
Total Impact For Average Ontarian - $2160.00
Total Impact For Average Ontario Sending Children To Independent School - $3360.00

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Parents Withdraw Son After School Refuses To Fail Him - Re-mortgage House To Send Him To Private School
*a father resorts to desperate measures to help his son gets what he needs educationally
National Post - September 9 2005

Is day school tuition a form of birth control?
*a father shares his concern over skyrocketing tuition costs for the school of his choice
written by: Daniel Wolgelerenter,
January, 2005, CJN Staff Writer

What's going on in the neighbourhood?
*a parent's look at diversity that works right in Ontario suburbia
written by: Barbara A. Bierman
submitted May 18th, 2004

PEC was invited to participate in the Liberal government's pre-budget consultations in Brampton on March 17, 2004. We gave a brief oral presentation and left a written submission outlining the statistics and research evidence for school choice as the way to improve student achievement and parental satisfaction with education. Click here to read the PEC written submission