An F For Short-Sightedness

How a bunch of adults entrusted to make decisions on behalf of the children of Toronto can be so short-sighted and foolish should probably not surprise me, but it does.

This week, Toronto public school trustees voted narrowly in favour of creating an Afrocentric Alternative school. In concept, it would be open to all students who want to become educated from, basically, a black point of view. There is no argument from me that our education system approaches from the view of white people and somehow expects kids of other backgrounds to relate. It’s not racist, it’s relating to the majority. But there is a strong feeling among many in the black community that kids are being denied an opportunity to learn about their heritage and feel more included and this school would ostensibly correct that.

Now it seems a couple of trustees want the vote retaken because the cash strapped school board can’t afford to actually set up and operate an Afrocentric school and Premier McGuinty has come out in strong opposition to the idea, believing that it’s too close to the faith-based funding debacle that lost John Tory the last provincial election for the Progressive Conservaties. In other words, the TDSB has said “yes!” for the idea but “uh-oh” when it LATER realized it has no money.

This is the board that’s been freaking out parents for a couple of years over closing school pools and cancelling after-school programs because there’s no money for them. Now it’s going to fund an entirely new school that needs a cirriculum, staff and everything else? The TDSB has made the plans, riled up the masses and approved the concept with absolutely no means or idea of how to accomplish it.

I’m not in favour of an Afrocentric school or school system. I’m also not in favour of putting Catholic kids in their own tax-funded schools either. But I’d be quite happy to support electives on these subjects as part of the regular cirriculum in public schools. While student A is taking art, student B can take Afrocentric studies and student C can take Catchecism. Were I in high school, I would likely sign up for the Afrocentric class, myself. It would probably be fascinating and open my eyes to some important knowledge.

One of the trustees made a good point in today’s Toronto Star. You simply can’t keep holding votes until you get the result you want. So what’s next? Does the board start selling chocolate covered almonds to raise the millions needed to start up the school, due to open in 18 months? Or does it throw up its hands and say, sorry Afrocentric school supporters, we can assure you that we’re in favour of the idea but we just don’t have the money. That would be worse – and more insulting – than voting the concept down in the first place.