One School System
About the Campaign: How You Can Help
The Freethought Association is opposed to government sponsored religious education. We feel that the government does not exist to promote any religion and that funding more that one system is detrimental to the overall quality of our education. Therefore we are asking that the government of Ontario and other provinces take steps to end public funding of the Catholic Separate School System and establish one equal system for all its citizens.
Outlined below are some of the arguments for ending the current practice of multiple funded school systems and steps that you can take to help out:
Discrimination
In November 1999, the United Nations’ Human Rights Committee declared that Canada’s support of separate schools violated the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This condemnation was repeated in November 2005 when the UN declared that Canada has done nothing to address the issue.
Because of this ruling, Canada can no longer fight for social and political rights on the world stage, as it would be hypocritical to promote equality and justice abroad when we don’t support it at home.
Catholic elementary schools are free to deny entry of non-Catholic children. Therefore, Catholic parents always have a greater choice of schools for their children and therefore have access to better education as they have the option of selecting the better schools.
Catholic school boards, both in the elementary and secondary levels, can hire only Catholic teachers and administrators. Under this policy, qualified Catholics have more job options within their respective markets. This is a clear violation of the government’s equal employment policy and contravenes the UN’s Declaration of Human Rights and Principles.
Economic
Having two competing school systems, both publicly funded, results in overlapping jurisdictions. Therefore there is an inefficient duplication of services that costs taxpayers millions of dollars a year. In this era, school boards across the province are facing huge cash shortfalls that can be helped by amalgamating the two boards.
Transportation: Currently, students can be bussed past a publicly funded school to attend another publicly funded school. By having one school system, school boards can save money and reduce the impact on the environment.
Duplication: Implementing one school system will save administrative costs and will allow for optimal school placements given greater access to students in growth areas.
Competition: The current system consists of two boards that must compete with each other for funding from the province. For example: Last year, the Toronto Catholic School Board spent $750 000 on an advertising campaign to encourage parents to send their children to Catholic schools.
More information will be added to this page soon.
What you can do
The FAC is looking for anyone willing to research and write proposals and reports on this issue in order to present rational and effective arguments to the public and the governments. Contact the FAC or check out the forum at www.freethoughtassociation.ca/forum
You can also come to the Center for Inquiry Ontario, 216 Beverley street, Toronto, Ontario, to sign our petition.
