"My Catholicism, my private faith, does not determine my position. My responsibility to the public interest does."FACT: The only thing 'public' about Roman Catholic education is the funding.
Dalton McGuinty, September 17, 2007
In Dalton's world:
Public education and Roman Catholic education are synonymsLucky for Dalton that rather than putting the question directly to him, reporters have skirted around the issue. They've asked questions like 'what about your own kids?' 'what about your own education?' but they haven't come out and asked the one question that would pin down Dalton's real opinion on the issue. If they asked it, one would have to wonder would Dalton the politician or Dalton the Roman Catholic step up to the plate:
Roman Catholic education and 'faith-based' education are not
Dalton McGuinty-- since you are emphatically against 'faith-based' education funding, will you make it your mission to dismantle the Separate School boards across Ontario and redirect all of that money into a single public education system that is truly public and truly inclusive?If not Dalton, then you are a fraud. I'm against Tory's plan, but at least his plan reflects the 21st century reality of Ontario. Your acceptance of the status quo, where one faith group is favoured over all others is regressive and bigoted. And if so, Roman Catholic parents will desert the Liberal Party en masse.
You can't have it both ways -- if you are against faith-based funding, you can't say 'except for my faith'. Public and Separate are NOT synonyms except in Dalton's dictionary, where his faith is more worthy than yours.
See also: Joanne's Journey and doggerel party
canadianna
12 comments:
Good post. The media are certainly giving him a free ride on this.
I just read Christina Blizzard in the SUN. She pegs it.
Boy, I missed that one. Thanks!
One public school system, Dalton. That's the only rational alternative to John Tory's plan.
I hate politics, and I hate being treated like a not-very-bright concussed goat every time an election rolls around. My Liberal MP called this weekend to weasel out my vote and I asked him point blank why the Liberals weren't taking the only reasonable stand on this issue.
His response: there are more important things to worry about this election (stopping the evil Tories, natch) and one public school system might be considered in future.
Which is, of course, a pile of not-very-bright concussed goat droppings.
I'm forming the opinion that Dalton actually intends to defund separate Cathlic schools and start funding just one secular system. Given that he promised not to do it, there is no other conclusion that I can come to except to believe that he will do it. In Dalton's Bizzarro Liberal world opposite is same and separate is together.
Canadi-anna, Get out of my head, its like your in there reading my exact thoughts, excellent post. Long time no see, what have you been up too.
PS. If you going to keep going inside my head, wear boots, my brain is getting pretty mushy,,LOL
One wonders WHY the media's so kind on this. Do they hate John Tory that much? Out of Tory's entire platform, this is seemingly the only thing the media sees fit to report...and distort. ("Creationism" would *not* replace science education if Tory's plan becomes a reality...but I've seen that suggested literally dozens of times.)
Personally, the politician I most agree with on this issue is Frank deJong. He'd have one secular public school system (no Catholic system), with mandatory world religions courses to "promote tolerance". And I know at least one Catholic who agrees with me. His argument: how many Catholic parents attend church each Sunday with their kids, versus how many kids are enrolled in the Catholic school system. "See a discrepancy?" he says. "Parents are abdicating their Catholic responsibilities and just dumping them on the school system."
I'm not Catholic (well, I was baptized Catholic, so in the eyes of the church I still am, Catholicism's like Scientology or alcholism that way) but you're right, Canadi-anna, at least Tory's plan doesn't smack of hypocrisy.
Ken Breadner:
"I'm not Catholic (well, I was baptized Catholic, so in the eyes of the church I still am, Catholicism's like Scientology or alcholism [SIC]that way)..."
Uh yeah, if you accept the following logic. All dogs have four legs. My cat has four legs. Therefore, my cat is a dog.
1. Catholic schools do not produce more intolerant citizens than public schools do. We have 150 years of evidence in Ontario indicating this is so. Both public and Catholic systems have strengths and weaknesses in this regard.
2. It is unlikely that non-Catholic faith-based schools differ in this regard. These schools operate now. Their graduates are not running amok.
2. Other provinces partially, or fully fund faith-based schools without evidence their public schools systems are collapsing.
4. I do not believe that de-funding Catholic schools will lead to significant cost savings (For example, I place in exhibit the amalgamation of the six Metro Toronto municipalities into one mega city.) Public and Catholic schools are funded on a per-student basis (about $9k per student).
5. This province appears to celebrate diversity in nearly all things but this. Why is that?
Cheers,
Look, I think people on both sides of this issue can agree the current system is discriminatory. My personal belief is that religious education is the purview of the church or its equivalent.
I'm not suggesting separate school students are any more or less tolerant. Or any better or worse educated. I myself had two stints of Catholic education, grades JK-3 and 5-6, and emerged none the worse for wear. I'm only saying that from a cost perspective, it seems silly to fund two different education systems while requiring both to adhere to the same curriculum.
And please spare the tired City of Toronto amalgamation horror stories. If Toronto had amalgamated properly, they wouldn't be nearly bankrupt now.
I agree with you. Hell just froze over.
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO CANADI-ANNA
HMMMMMM
--her life away from the keyboard must be keeping her busy...
Come back soon !!
Come baaaack!
Post a Comment