Earlier in the week, Ontario’s Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, announced that his ministry had implemented the first set of regulations pursuant to The Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act.
The legislation and the regulations are aimed at enabling the government “to set binding priorities on school boards that focus on boosting student achievement focused on reading, writing and math.”
GAJE applauds this objective. Boosting student achievement is obviously a key aspiration of the province’s education system.
Minister Lecce said that the legislation and the regulations are also aimed at “getting back to the basics of education”.
GAJE also applauds this objective. The basics of education are essential, life-long instruments in every child’s tool box for contending with life’s inevitably many and constant challenges.
Minister Lecce added that “boosting student achievement focused on reading, writing and math sends a clear signal to Ontario’s school boards we’ve listened to the priorities of parents putting common sense at the centre of our education system.”
GAJE applauds this objective as well. How can common sense not be at the centre of all integrated, complex systems, let alone the education system?
Our plaudits for these stated purposes of the Minister stand without contingency or abatement. However, they evoke pointedly aching questions that settle heavily in our hearts. The questions beg to be asked. And answered.
• In the year 2023, how can the Minister of Education be wilfully opposed to extending “the basics of education” to the approximately 150,000 children who attend independent schools?
• In the year 2023, how can the Minister of Education be wilfully opposed – as a matter of common sense if not of conscience and fairness – to extending at least some public funding for the approximately 150,000 Ontario children attending independent schools?
Minister Lecce rightly touts his objectives. But inexcusably, he continues to block their implementation for the children attending independent schools.
The minister’s “back to basics” and “common sense” in education, are indeed for some, but not for all. Shame.
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We still await the decision of Judge Papageorgiou on the motion brought by the governments of Ontario and Canada to strike our application for fairness in educational funding in Ontario. As soon as we know her decision, we will share it with you.
If you wish to support GAJE’s lawsuit, please click here.
For further information, please contact Israel Mida at: imida1818@gmail.com
Charitable receipts for donations for income tax purposes will be issued by Mizrachi Canada. Your donations will be used for the sole purpose of underwriting the costs of the lawsuit.
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Shabbat shalom
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education (GAJE)
August 4, 2023
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education 