Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

People assume that school board politics is above municipal, provincial and federal politics. That is not so. Actually, the world of politics in education works at a lower level than any other organization in our society. Why is that? The answer is school boards are masters of propaganda, and can easily create a picture that everything is done in the best interest of the children. It is this image that makes school boards accountable to no one.

Consider what happened at the webcast Pearson Council meeting on June 27, when the Board adopted its "Budget 2017-2018."

Even before I could ask any of the written questions, which I had submitted earlier in the day, out of the blue, Acting Chair Noel Burke, threatened to "ban" me from Public Question Period time. This is totally undemocratic ; it is against Article 168 of the Education Act.

Imagine a prime minister, premier or a mayor, even thinking of banning the opposition, or anyone, to ask questions on the finances of the public institution.

Now think about these facts: the Board's budget is about $300 million, soon homeowners will receive their everincreasing school tax bill, - and I was the only 'public.' Part of these taxes go toward administrative expenses.

My questions were about the expenses of the Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA), which refuses to divulge its budget of about $1 million.

Next week, ten commissioners are off to Whistler, B.C. to attend a "Congress," where they will pretend to be important, and come back with nothing for our English schools. Recall, last year, in Winnipeg, led by businessman, Marcus Tabachnick, the Association bashed defunct Bill 86 - a most progressive school board reform bill.

My other questions dealt with QESBA'S vice-president Suanne Stein Day, who is chairperson of the scandalplagued Pearson board. Following last year's ethics violations, she is on leave for an unknown period of time and still receiving a salary, in which, the secret amount was set at a closed door meeting led by strong supporter - the Acting Chair.

This secrecy reinforces the idea that school boards ought to get out of the school-tax collection business.

That said, everyone agrees that a wellfunded public education system is central to the well-being of society, but , in Quebec, most everyone seems to also agree the way school taxes are levied and collected is unfair.

Two key factors are whether one is a property owner registered in either the French or English school board , in the same area, and whether one lives on or off Montreal Island.

Let's also take into account the recent victory by parents who launched a classaction lawsuit against the province's school boards because of annual school fees they have to pay for educational tools.

No child should be deprived of anything educational because of socio-economic factors. While academic success is important in a well-rounded education, so is the participation in extracurricular activities.

It's time to modernize the way we fund our public school system. The burden of school funding should fall on the state. Here is an idea.

The Liberal government should consider raising the province's sales tax by about one per cent and dividing the funds equitably.

For the common good , and given the social and economic benefits of education, let's call it an 'Education Tax.'

CHRIS EUSTACE MONTREAL, QC