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Rich school, poor school

Is a school for low-income kids a good idea? We won't know if we don't try

John Hoffman,

Originally published in Today's Parent July 2011

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You know, one of the great things about our education system is that it’s a constant source of controversy for journalists. One of the more recent brouhahas is over the plan of the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) to establish a school exclusively for low-income kids whose parents do not have a university or college education. The thinking is that pooling them in the same school will better provide the supports that socially disadvantaged kids need.

When the DSBN announced plans to launch this school with grade six and seven classes this September, critics were quick to dump on the idea. One parent activist told The Standard (St. Catharines) that he planned to file a complaint with the Human Rights Commission. Leona Dombrowsky, Ontario’s Minister of Education, said she was worried about the stigmatization of the children. Local MPP Peter Kormos reportedly referred to the plan as apartheid education.

I strongly believe that publicly funded education is for everyone. It’s the biggest, most inclusive societal institution where people from all ethnicities, cultures and economic classes mix together. That’s a good thing for democracy and a good thing for reducing inequities — which is always good for societies, by the way. And a strong publicly funded education system is the best weapon we have to fight poverty.

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