[lesouris]

I see where you're coming from Perturbed, but I think it is a great hypocrisy to say that Catholics should be allowed their own publicly funded school system, but Jews and Armenians should not. I think that Ontario needs to abolish our Catholic school system, or at least privatize it, because it is not fair. It doesn't matter if there are more Catholics in Ontario than Jews or what have you, it is a fundemental injustice. I think Quebec is going down the right track with its completely secular school system, and I have to agree with the PQ on this issue. If Catholics, Jews, or whatever want their children to learn about their faith, language, or culture, they should either send them to a private school or to classes outside of their public education.<br /> <br /> I was a Catholic, and I went to elementary and secondary Catholic schools. I always thought it was kind of unfair that one group gets funding for schools and others don't. Plus, a Catholic school really does not prepare students for a multifaith environment like the workforce.<br /> <br /> If you want your child to learn about their own heritage, that's your choice to send them to a private school, but why should the government have to pay for them?

[Perturbed]

[QUOTE BY= lesouris] I see where you're coming from Perturbed, but I think it is a great hypocrisy to say that Catholics should be allowed their own publicly funded school system, but Jews and Armenians should not. I think that Ontario needs to abolish our Catholic school system, or at least privatize it, because it is not fair. It doesn't matter if there are more Catholics in Ontario than Jews or what have you, it is a fundemental injustice. I think Quebec is going down the right track with its completely secular school system, and I have to agree with the PQ on this issue. If Catholics, Jews, or whatever want their children to learn about their faith, language, or culture, they should either send them to a private school or to classes outside of their public education.<br /> <br /> I was a Catholic, and I went to elementary and secondary Catholic schools. I always thought it was kind of unfair that one group gets funding for schools and others don't. Plus, a Catholic school really does not prepare students for a multifaith environment like the workforce.<br /> <br /> If you want your child to learn about their own heritage, that's your choice to send them to a private school, but why should the government have to pay for them?[/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> <br /> I admit it's hypocritical, but I don't think that all history must be changed to appease the minorities in our society. One of my parents is Catholic, the other is Protestant. I've been in both school boards in Toronto, and I just liked the Catholic system more before high school.<br /> <br /> At the high school level, I think it's important to be exposed to more groups of people. I was much more agnostic after that. It opens your eyes, but better then than later on.

[Armageddon]

Well, personally, I think the Jewish school can be paid for by the provinical government, IF it is in line with what public schools teach, but as soon as religion is taught, it is up to the parents of that school to pay for the religious classes, since no government should be affiliated with such.<br /> Just a personal view, but government and religion to me is like water and oil mixing.

[lesouris]

What I find so amusing is that everybody thinks its fine to religiously segregate schools, but when some one makes a suggestion to recially segregate schools (as certain leaders in Toronto's Black community are attempting now) everyone gets all offended and calls it regressive. Well it is, but so are religiously and ethnically segregated schools. I mean, do you know how much it would cost for everyone one of Ontario's ethnic and religious communities to operate their own public schools? I mean, in Toronto alone there are over 240 ethnic communities. In Canada, we only need three publically funded school systems: one English, one French, and one Aboriginal.

[lesouris]

Just to expand on that, think about all the friends you met in school from different backgrounds. I for one would not want to give up that experience.

[lesouris]