An Ontario Parent’s Response to the Opinion Editorial entitled “It’s time to end public funding for Catholic schools in Ontario” by Jennifer Pilzecker, OAPCE Niagara Director
Over a month ago I took notice of an opinion editorial published in the Globe and Mail entitled “It’s time to end public funding for Catholic schools in Ontario”. After reading it, I remained bothered but was unable to fully articulate why. Upon further thought, I now have a better understanding of why it bothered me. I am grateful to have a choice regarding education and to have another person suggest this choice should be stripped away seemed petty.
I am a product of the public school system in Ontario but upon becoming a proud parent, I chose to enrol my daughter in a Catholic school. I have never regretted this decision. When it became time for my daughter to attend high school, I allowed her to choose if she would walk 5 blocks to the public high school or take a 20 minute bus ride to the Catholic high school. She chose the latter and has also never regretted her decision. What some members of the public may not know is that Catholic schools are not just for Catholic families. Whether a student is Catholic or not, if they agree to uphold the principles of Catholic education, they are welcome.
To understand why we fund Catholic education in the province of Ontario, we must first understand that it was a decision not made lightly. It was made after consultation with constitutional scholars, after large-scale province-wide polling and after a political mandate to expand education in the province received broad support. When Ontario funded Catholic schools, public schools also expanded and projects like establishing university satellite campuses also took place. The point is, the decision was made after due diligence and the result was a win for parents and children.
Some members of the community, like the author of the opinion editorial, may take offence when a Catholic school board doesn’t bend to political whims of the moment or when they democratically debate and decide not to fly certain flags. This does not mean a Catholic school board is against a particular group but means they would rather remain visibly neutral and true to their values. I don’t believe it is responsible for the author to suggest half of the publicly funded education system in the province be dismantled because they disagree with a decision. If the author is a parent, they have a choice to send their child to a public school and they should not let personal discontentment over a symbolic decision derail choice for all families.
To my fellow parents of children in the Catholic education system in Ontario, it is important we don’t grow apathetic and lose our ability to choose. Going forward, I invite you to join me in speaking up in support of Catholic education. I am grateful for the choice provided to me by the province of Ontario and my daughter is grateful for this choice too. I believe our education system is stronger and our province is better off for providing families choice in education.