(The following article is from the April 16-30, 2008 issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $25/year, or $12 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $25 US per year; other overseas readers - $25 US or $35 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 133 Herkimer St. Unit 502, Hamilton, ON, L8P 2H3.)

People's Voice Editorial, April 16-30, 2008

In early April, Ontario Minister of Education Kathleen Wynn said that unless the Toronto District School Board agrees by the end of May to restructure, the Ministry will impose its own model. The reason, according to Wynn, is that the Board is too big and doesn't have public support.

     In fact, the truth may be just the opposite. With 300,000 students, the Board is the biggest in Canada and one of the most diverse in the world. It is also one of the most innovative and publicly responsive Boards in the country. In 2000, the TDSB was taken over by the Harris Tories after refusing to cut more programs and staff. More recently, Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty attacked the Board for deciding to establish a Black focused Alternative School, for which the Black community has campaigned and finally won in January.

     This Board's clout comes from the community, from parents, students, staff and supporters of public education who have had it with cutbacks and layoffs. If the Premier and the Minister think they can dismantle opposition to their policies by dismantling the Board, they're dead wrong. Strong-arming didn't work for the Tories, and it won't work for the Liberals either.

     There may be some merit to examining the Board's structure, but that's up to the Board in its own time, in conjunction with broad community discussion and input. But first, there must be action by the province to introduce a new needs-based funding formula, and to massively invest in public education and public schools across Ontario. In no way should the province intervene to curtail the rights of School Boards to local autonomy and democracy, now or in the future.