Time to merge Ontario’s four school systems

Re Elephant in the (class) room is school closings, Cohn, May 16

Finally, a most interesting column on our multiple school boards. Catholic boards have not made sense for more than 50 years, likely more than 75. In fact, I feel former premier Bill Davis did a major disservice to Ontario in the 1970s when he extended funding to Catholic high schools.

Quebec showed us how to do it, as well as Newfoundland. Ontario got rid of Protestant schools many years ago. Queen’s Park is overdue to get rid of Catholic boards and have a vibrant public education system.

The government should initiate a plan to combine the French boards in the next year or two, to determine how best to combine the English boards.

The teachers unions will have to understand that they serve the public and their students, not the union infrastructure.

There are so many benefits to combining boards; the government just needs to step up and make it happen.

Maureen Chorney, Mississauga

If amalgamating schools boards is the answer, then the power of conventional wisdom must be challenged. It is not good enough to automatically default to the lowest common denominator. A superior school board system already exists that consistently boasts better results. Can I get an Amen?

Ricardo Di Cecca, Burlington