Page 5 - June 15, 2017

Thursday, June 15, 2017 Opinion The Independent
More local control of rural schools needed
Page 5
Progressively Forward
Emery Huszka
DEALER-FLORENCE, ON
Tel: 519-692-4892
MAIZEXSEEDSINC. www.maizex.com 4488 Mint Line, RR 2, Tilbury, ON N0P 2L0
EDITOR:
attended LCCVI in the mid 60s, and
I remember school administrators coming from Michigan and northern Ontario to tour LCCVI, because it was “state of the art.” We had the rst wall size computer, and an amazing top ight technical wing. We had a local school board, and I believe they were volunteer trustees, who participated because they cared about the school.
acceptable for urban schools, but it is proving fatal for rural schools.
I am writing in response to two articles, both written by Heather Wright, one regarding “Rural School Closure concerns” and the other “Bigger isn’t Better” about the Provincial Forum on Rural Schools held in Thedford.
I would submit that rural schools should have the right to be self- determining.
Obviously, rural people are passionate about rural education. They expect their children to receive a quality education close to home. In an era when we are talking about the right of rural Ontario to have high speed Internet, one would think that education was as important.
When the school boards amalgamated in the 90s, the result was today’s regional school boards with their numerous paid trustees.
Rural schools should have a local school board that receives a at fee from the province. That way regional boards would not be looking to gain savings by closing rural schools - they would look for more ef ciencies in the larger urban schools.
There is the safety aspect. Closing schools requires young children to travel long distances on buses. This does not contribute to quality in education.
It is my opinion that Petrolia schools suffered under regional governance. The local education taxes that funded our local schools were now being siphoned off into the region.
If one accepts that small children should have the right to a quality education within a reasonable distance from their home, then keeping the rural school open makes sense. There is a minimum number of students
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It was mentioned that Lambton Shores worked with the school board to provide a library and gymnasium to keep their school open. This is
an example of a creative way that municipalities can help if they want to prevent a school closing.
that should be required to keep a school open. That would need to be determined.
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One comment in the article was “the size of the administration of school boards has ballooned.” I
Today’s funding formula is calculated and based on school enrollment, how many students are in the school. The problem is that this is a “cookie cutter” approach, requiring rural schools to compete with urban schools. This
Creative thinking is required, but closing rural schools is only optics, making it look like something is being done. It is time that the public was served, and not the bureaucracy.
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The board itself is an expense. I agree that bigger is not better. I believe that the best and most responsive governance you can have is the closest one to you.
Let the regional boards govern the urban schools.
Bob Maniuk PETROLIA, ON
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