Stop-gap solution to a much bigger problem
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
TheStar.com Jan 31, 2008
re: Yes to black-focused school Jan. 30
The vote to create a black-focused school within the Toronto District School Board is a convenient distraction from the elephant in the room that the board has been ignoring for more than 10 years. Specifically, why is there a 40 per cent dropout rate among black teens? This statistic was first made available in 1995 as a result of the Royal Commission on Learning.
The first hint we've received in response is that the board also passed a measure to launch an action plan to help all black students do better. While this is commendable, it is also long overdue…..
Personally, I don't believe that constituency-specific schools should be the design point for board curriculum. Why? Because I believe that implementation of this kind of program is a convenient stop-gap solution to a much bigger problem that the board is only now beginning to examine – and I didn't use the word "address."….
Arlene Terry, Ajax
Complete letter and others at: http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/298989