James Gordon writes in the Ottawa Citizen today about how Stittsville’s lack of a public high school illustrates a need to get rid of separate school boards. Here’s an excerpt:
Every so often, we get yet another reminder of just how absurd Ontario’s public school system is.
The latest flareup is in Stittsville — now 30,000 people strong after a 25 per cent bump in population since 2009 — where parents are agitating for the community’s first public high school after being ignored for the past decade or so by the Liberal government.
Well, the community’s first publicly funded, non-religious school, anyway. Stittsville is home to Sacred Heart Catholic school…
Sacred Heart is also over capacity already, because people actually want their kids to be able to walk or bike to a building in their own city. Those who wish to stay in the regular ol’ public system currently have to bus their kids down the highway to Richmond…
This is the choice Stittsville (and other) parents of all faiths and beliefs still have to make in Ontario in 2015: either surrender and send your children to learn under the symbols and auspices of a taxpayer-funded, faith-based administration … or send them to school in another town and quit whining.
It’s wrong, and it needs to change.
Even if Sacred Heart were a secular public school, which it should be, the Stittsville area would still be woefully under-serviced. Still, at least parents would have the option to send their children to an overcrowded neighbourhood school free of religious moral codes and intimidation.
The problem with this is twofold.
First of all, whenever someone criticizes the Catholic board saying that it ought to be secular, it’s obvious they are unaware of the Constitution. The Constitution (both federally and provincially) works to guarantee a Catholic structure in Ontario. Whether you like that or not, it’s historically justified- Canada (and Ontario in particular) used to overwhelmingly Christian.
Secondly, funding is not as easy to get as people think it is. From what I understand, councilors and authorities think that the funding is better allocated to other areas in Ottawa at the moment. There is South Carleton High School, SHHS, and plans for a French HS now all within 10 KM (relatively) of each other. It seems foolish to think that another school is on the way- there’s already 3 in the works.
It is absolutely absurd that christians think they have the right have a whole separate school system just so that they can shield their kids from things like gay matters and just so that they can get the school to assist with the religious indoctrination of their children.
If people wish to indoctrinate their children, they should do it on their own dime, in their own churches, outside of public institutions.
Why do christians feel they need to be protected from the rest of the normal secular society? Something is completely wrong with your thinking here, John!
As for the high school in Richmond. It is in the wrong location. You have to travel into the country, including through icy conditions. The distance is much more than 10 km for many.
The school was also slated to be replaced in the 80s because it’s highly outdated.
Why do christians, catholics, feel they get to claim ownership on the best of the best, with the best nicest shiniest most grandiose buildings in the very best locations on prime park land, nicely landscaped with tons of space, and right next to a community center?
What needs to happen, is that the high school in Richmond should be replaced with a new building, as nice as the catholic one in Stittsville, in Stittsville, so that we give young kids the best chance to succeeds. The catholic one is highly overcrowded, because many secular minded people are putting up with the catholic system. Instead of creating these awkward situations, put people where they belong. Don’t force non-religious people or people of a different faith, to have to cope and work around christian belief issues.
The fact that we have to talk about religion in public schools as a problem, is absolutely absurd. But, religious people don’t want to give up their religious position and control. WHY?