I suspect this is the reason that the Ontario Bishops chose 'quiet diplomacy' to make their case. As the leader of the Ontario Green Party states in the article, "the genie is out of the bottle" - at least when it comes to questioning our constitutional right to funding for the Catholic Separate School Boards.
There is one point though that is not being made. The article points out that the CSSB's receive $7 Billion government dollars. But it fails to say that if these boards were shut down, the province would still have to spend the same amount to educate the province's children (or more if the health care amalgamations are indicative of what happens when systems and institutions are merged).
There are legitimate arguments for and against the continued funding of the Separate School system. Economics and savings are not among them.
TheRecord - Nearly half of Ontarians oppose Catholic school...
There is one point though that is not being made. The article points out that the CSSB's receive $7 Billion government dollars. But it fails to say that if these boards were shut down, the province would still have to spend the same amount to educate the province's children (or more if the health care amalgamations are indicative of what happens when systems and institutions are merged).
There are legitimate arguments for and against the continued funding of the Separate School system. Economics and savings are not among them.
TheRecord - Nearly half of Ontarians oppose Catholic school...
I agree the monetary savings would be much less. I've seen the figure of 1.5 billion but that would be a bit of a stretch, perhaps half that a year would be realized.
ReplyDeleteI do think the bishops have overplayed this issue. Public opinion can change quickly. In Newfoundland and Labrador a referendum in 1995 gave a slim majority in favour of one schools system (54%). A few years later another referendum was 74% in favour.
Rationalist: You're right. I think this is why the Bishops did not mount a full-on, all out effort but chose the path of 'quiet diplomacy' instead. Perhaps they are keeping their 'powder dry' for the bigger fight that is to come over the continued existence of the Catholic system?
DeleteFr. Tim