Stop-gap solution to a much bigger problem

 In News

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

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