Okay, we’ll reign in the fees -Libs

The Canadian Press   Thursday Mar. 24, 2011    TORONTO — Public schools in Ontario will get new guidelines from the province Friday telling them what extra fees they can and cannot charge.

The advocacy group People for Education released a report today saying fees charged for courses, student activities and athletics are on the rise in Ontario high schools.

It says 53 per cent of high schools charge fees for art classes, 41 per cent charge fees for physical education and 26 per cent impose fees for music courses.

Spokeswoman Annie Kidder says the fees increased for the second year in a row, and notes some schools raise only $1,000 from student fees while others raise as much as $90,000 a year.

Education Minister Leona Dombrowsky says the new guidelines will make clear what fees are appropriate, and will require boards to track all the fees charged and the amount they bring in.

The opposition parties say the Liberal government should have moved long ago to, saying they make public education unfair for those who can’t afford to pay extra.