January 13, 2020
Announcement: Independent Schooling Provides Education Stability

To: 5 online petitioners, 8 email respondents, 6 mail canvassers, 99 reporters and commentators; 27 trustee candidates and trustees; 28 of the many voters who are very concerned about our "one-size-fits-all" school boards; and 185 generally interested folks including members of the Social Mavrik Federation.

From: Bob Bray, President, Social Mavrik Federation

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CAMPBELL RIVER: Bob Bray is pleased to release an infographic comparing three types of independent schooling in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.
Independent Schooling = Education Stability
In addition to the five teacher federations in Ontario, there is another federation very active in the education sector. It is the Ontario Federation of Independent Schools.

Now that the Ontario public is enduring another episode of education instability from teacher job action during their salary negotiations, it's a good time to appreciate the steady and stable education services provided by Ontario's independent schools.

Nearly half of Canada's independent schools are located in Ontario and more students are educated in Ontario's independent schools than in any other province.
  • 1,300 registered independent schools in Ontario
  • 120,000 students attend independent schools in Ontario
  • 20,000 students receive traditional home schooling in Ontario

The share of students in Ontario's independent school sector increased from 4.9% to 6.1% between 2005 and 2015.

These students receive no funding from the Ontario Ministry of Education. If they all did access their education through a school operated by their local school board it would cost an extra $1.8 billion each year, according to the Ontario Federation of Independent Schools.

Several other provinces such as British Columbia and Alberta have been supporting their independent school sector financially, as shown in the infographic below, for years.
Click here to see a larger version of the above image.
Online Petition about charter schools
The online petition can be viewed by clicking on the blue button below.
New petitioners are shown in red lettering

So far 23 +1 citizens in Ontario and British Columbia have added their signature to this petition to call on the Ontario Government to allow charter schools in Ontario.
Petitioners'
Province


---------------------





Ontario








---------------------

British
Columbia

---------------------
Allow Ministry
To Approve
Up To 20 Public
Charter Schools
-------------------------





SUPPORT = 19








------------------------

SUPPORT = 4 + 1


-------------------------
Petitioner Demographics


Name of City or Town
--------------------------------------------------
Bowmanville = 1
Cochrane = 1
London = 1
Malahide = 1
Mississauga = 1
North York = 1
Oshawa = 1
Ottawa = 1
Sarnia = 1
St. Catherines = 1
Thorold = 1
Toronto = 6
Union = 1
Welland = 1
--------------------------------------------------
Campbell River = 1
Chilliwack = 2
Courtenay + 1
Vancouver = 1
--------------------------------------------------
Email Survey about charter schools
The email survey questionnaire can be viewed by clicking on the blue button below.
New respondents are shown in red lettering (none this week)

So far 8 citizens in British Columbia have emailed their position on independent publicly funded K-12 charter schools and the results are shown below.
Respondents'
Province



---------------------
British
Columbia
---------------------
Allow Ministry
To Approve
Up To 20 Public
Charter Schools

-------------------------
SUPPORT = 8
OPPOSE = 0
-------------------------
Respondent Demographics
Average Age
Number of Children
Number of Grandchildren
Number of Great Grandchildren
--------------------------------------------------
Avg Age=68 C=22 GC=51 GGC=4
Avg Age=0 C=0 GC=0 GGC=0
--------------------------------------------------
An easier-to-read summary of emailed questionnaires can be seen here.
Ontario Schools - Education Instability
Updates are shown in red lettering

School Board Elementary School s (31 Secular Boards)
  • phase 1 job action began on Tuesday, November 26
  • not completing Term 1 report cards
  • not participating in board or ministry courses outside of school hours
  • phase 2 job action began on Tuesday, December 10
  • not planning any new field trips
  • not collecting money for school activities, except charitable causes
  • some elementary schools went on strike for December 4, 10, 17 and January 8 where its education workers are OSSTF members
  • mediator will try to schedule talks in January
  • teachers begin work to rule, no before or after school presence, Jan 13
  • primary teachers plan rotating strikes for Monday, January 20
  • issues are special needs students, one early childhood educator in every kindergarten classroom, classroom-based violence and compensation
  • Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario ETFO
  • 83,000 teachers and members

School Board High Schools (31 Secular Boards)
  • work to rule began on Tuesday, December 3
  • Strike Day 1 - Wednesday, December 4
  • Strike Day 2 - Wednesday, December 10, against 9 School Boards
  • Strike Day 3 - Wednesday, December 17, against 10 School Boards
  • Strike Day 4 - Wednesday, January 8, against 8 School Boards
  • Strike planned for Wednesday, January 15, against 16 School Boards
  • Dozens of French-language schools are impacted
  • Elementary schools in these 8 districts are impacted
  • Contract negotiations to resume in January with the mediator
  • issues are compensation, class size and two required e-learning courses
  • Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation OSSTF
  • 60,000 teachers and education workers

School Board French Schools (4 Secular and 8 Catholic Boards)
  • 450 French language schools
  • Franco-Ontarian teachers vote 97 per cent in favour of striking if necessary
  • teachers are not in a legal strike position
  • Association des enseigantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens
  • 10,500 members AEFO

School Board English Schools (29 Catholic Boards)
  • strike notice has been issued and teachers are in a legal strike position
  • contract talks were held on January 9th
  • mediater adjourned talks on January 10th
  • job action to begin on Monday, January 13th
  • teachers refuse to complete report cards
  • teachers refuse to participate in EQAO standardised tests
  • issues include class size
  • Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association OECTA
  • 45,000 teachers
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Contact:
Bob Bray, President, Social Mavrik Federation
Phone: 250-900-2422
Mail: 422-1434 Ironwood Street, Campbell River, British Columbia V9W 5T5
Email: bob.bray@socialmavrikbc.ca
Website: socialmavrikbc.ca
The Social Mavrik Federation is a registered society in British Columbia dedicated to cultural politics through endorsing MP / MLA / Trustee candidates and supporting thoughtful initiatives, as directed by its members.
Facebook:
I have posted the image below on my Facebook page. I invite you to visit it at facebook.com/bob.bray.334 and, if you do, you are welcome to give it a like, and/or a share and/or a comment.
Click here to see a larger version of the above image.
Twitter:
In this past week I began using Twitter! My initial tweet was to broadcast the image below. I used one hashtag for each of the 5 Ontario teacher federations plus #onted and #onpoli. My tweets generated several comments. In my replies I used the hashtag #onchartersch.
Click here to see a larger version of the above image.
Backgrounders:
Topics covered in previous Announcements: