A simple solution to school closings

Re School closings a threat to small towns,

Jan. 23 The problem of school closings in small towns could be solved by simply combining all public and Catholic schools into one public system. This would not only allow areas to retain a community school but would also solve the problem of having to provide a full secondary school system for minuscule numbers of public French language students, because most French language students are Catholic.

While some may suggest that the Catholic school system in Ontario is guaranteed by the Constitution of Canada, such is not really the case. Both Newfoundland and Quebec removed the protection for religious schools by a simple resolution forwarded to the Parliament of Canada.

This could easily be done by the Ontario Legislature.

Not only would this solve most problems for small communities, but it would save huge amounts of money that could be used to fund many of the education deficits in our education system such as providing appropriate education for special needs children.

It is time to move Ontario education into the 21st Century. William Phillips, Toronto The potential impact of closing small rural schools is just another step in the challenges facing by rural Ontario, in particular the north. The decline of small communities is largely economic, but part of the blame rests with the Ontario government.

Many small communities used to host government facilities such as a police detachment, natural resources base and highway maintenance yard. As the various ministries retrenched to more centralized locations, the stable, well-paid, year-round staff and their families went with them.

The decline of community facilities naturally followed.

To be true, however, a family that already lives an hour’s bus ride from a rural school must accept the restrictions that decision imposes. Len Aitchison, Tiny, Ont.