Faiths unite to back Tory plan to fund their schools
Election battle expected over controversial issueAug 29, 2007 04:30 AM
Daniel Girard
EDUCTION REPORTER
Far from segregating young people and dividing Ontario society, extending public funding to all faith-based schools would be a unifying move, say proponents.
An alliance of five religious communities yesterday acknowledged the key requirements for obtaining funding would be that schools used accredited teachers and the Ontario curriculum while subjecting all of its students to province-wide testing.
Conservative Leader John Tory set those terms when he endorsed public funding for faith-based schools serving 53,000 students.
Premier Dalton McGuinty has opposed the idea, citing the expense and the possible harm to Ontario's "social cohesion."
However "if (schools) are left on their own, that will encourage uncontrolled conditions and we will not know what's being taught," Hindu spokesperson Pandit Roopnauth Sharma told a Toronto news conference yesterday.
He said adding the schools to the fold means "there can be guidelines instituted, and inspection and review."
The lobby group – called Public Education Fairness Network – includes advocates for Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Armenian communities.
The advocates said they hope to counter the "climate of fear" characterizing the public debate so far.
The group will promote funding of faith-based schools prior to the Oct. 10 election by placing ads and opening their schools to public scrutiny.
The Toronto Star
