Raise the Hammer

The solution is not to create an argument for the funding model. Just scrap it. All the math in the world cannot properly predict enrolment. Put a strong schools as community hubs model in place. Create partnerships with businesses like the insurance company that rented space in Central, so that we have a long list of people and businesses in our community ready to utilize these spaces. Then, when required, they are prepared and equipped to jump into those spaces to help us keep our community schools. I have talked to a few potential community partners and there is a desire there but they have expressed hurdles that make it difficult to create such partnerships. The business community wants us to have strong communities too. We can all build a model that will benefit us all - most importantly, our children and their future employees.

That is where we start right now. Learning about community partnerships and how we can improve that model.

Ryan and Robert say it all. Central. It's the most powerful argument we have.

I'll use Lawfield as another example. We went from a Catholic elementary school, K-5 school, 6-8 school with 5 classes for every grade all on one block, to one school I am not even sure is as big as the old Lawfield, many houses being built, and 4-6 detached (not even a porta pack), portables out back only a few years from Lawfield opening it's doors.

Or how about Cecil B. Sterling where I went to elementary school until grade 5. They had some 6-8 portables (the covered walkway is all that remains on Google earth of what once was), and we even had gym in two portables stuck together. Imagine dodge ball in a portable. For real. It was fun, but really? How did those enrolment projections work out for you?

The City could also help by promoting the needs of the communities around all of these schools, including the need for families that might help us better plan our schools. Where are the seniors voices? Where are those that for one reason or another, will not have children? It's their school as well.

This ARC processes has taught us a great deal which I am okay with. Only if however, we stop it now and allow the community to plan the future of our education ourselves.

Stand up education leaders. Tell the Ontario Board we say No. That is all there is to it. These our our schools. Our children. Our voices are screaming No! already. You Trustees, and you Director, voted by Trustees voted in by us, have a responsibility to us. A responsibility to carry our voice and not in a manner that portrays us as a loud few afraid of change, but an extremely large city, province, and country-wide collective of parent, teacher, and community voices who are not okay with the closures of not just their schools, but any community schools period.

Stop trying to sell us on something that has lost all accountability a long time ago.

Comment edited by lawrence on 2014-01-30 13:34:00