Congratulations on assuming office, President Barack Obama
Written by John Borst on January 20, 2009 – 5:46 pm
May the God of all people, all colors, all nations, and all beliefs bless you as you take on the leadership of the United States of America and its role in all Nations of the World.
In particular, may you bring a new outlook to the role and place of education in the future generations of children and youth over the next four years.
Good luck and a safe journey through these trying but exciting times.
January 21st, 2009 at 5:58 pm
This is an amazing editorial comment, with the exception of the plug for one-school-system, from the Toronto Sun of all places:
Obama needs to be the education president
The Toronto Sun
Wed 21 Jan 2009
Page: 22
Section: Editorial/Opinion
Byline: BY RITA SHELTON DEVERELL
The Obamas were not allowed to move to the White House early so Sasha, age 7, and Malia, age 10, had to start their winter school term from a hotel room instead of home.
While some were viewing George W. Bush’s failure to provide hospitality as mean spirited, others were viewing the Obama parents’ choice of schools as elitist.
The daughters are attending Sidwell Friends. It’s a private school run by Quakers, and favoured by Clintons and Bidens.
But the Obamas may not have actually had a “choice.” Sending their children to a public school is not something caring, ambitious parents, who could afford alternatives, would do.
When the girls are adults, President and Mrs. Obama probably want them to be as qualified as the eight brilliant, ivy league black sisters who are part of the new government.
That means no D.C. public schools. It likely means no public schools in other large U.S. cities as well.
One Washington school trustee commented that the Obamas shouldn’t send their daughters to a public school simply to make a populist political point. After all, the girls didn’t run for office. And, the D.C. schools are considered among the most dysfunctional, academically underachieving in the country.
Elitist doesn’t seem to translate into Anglo-Saxon, since the Obama girls’ private school is 39% children of colour.
D.C. parents say they have to make it almost a full-time job to run interference in the schools. Maybe the U.S. president has a few other problems with which to cope.
Would you want your children to be in chronically sub-standard classrooms?
In 1967 I immigrated to Ontario from the United States. I was completely blown away by the quality of the public schools here. I marvelled that parents could actually send their children to them and expect a competitive education.
It was a miracle to me that my son, who is black, graduated from a Toronto public high school and then became a respectable student through two university degrees.
I believe that public education and libraries are worthy places for lavish tax spending. Education pays off big time. We are so lucky.
ACCESS FOR ALL
Our luck does have a price. However, our individual tax burdens will be a lot less than the $29,000 per year, per daughter the Obamas are paying in school fees. And think of all the social problems we won’t have to fix if every Canadian child has access to a great education.
Here’s what it will take for our luck to hold.
We have to keep teachers’ salaries high enough that working in the public system remains a desirable career choice for educational stars. We’d be shocked to look at the slave wages teachers are paid by many U.S. boards.
We have to continue to work for one system for all. I’m among the majority who voted against Ontario having a gazillion different religious schools.
Toronto schools are increasingly unsafe. We must support actions that rid the schools of weapons, which means ridding the city of handguns. A recent report said “Toronto’s system has become a place where violent incidents go unreported.” Shame.
Our luck will increase if we are all active, engaged advocates of the public system. Parents, grandparents, extended families, and students have a part to play. And ambitious, pushy, middle-class parents cannot take their children out of the public schools.
Canadian chests are puffed out now because Obama and Harper are going to meet.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Maybe the PM can tell the president why he is the third prime minister since Trudeau to send his kids to a public school in Ottawa.
Maybe the two heads of state can talk about what governments, school boards, and citizens have to do to keep the best and the brightest in the public system in Canada.
And maybe Obama can take advice from us about how the U.S. might support schools that his children could attend.
© 2009 Sun Media Corporation. All rights reserved.