Private schools should not be publicly funded
The Alberta School Board Association (ASBA) announced a new policy calling for the end of funding private schools with public dollars.
The Alberta Government funds provides public funds to private schools with 70% of the per student basic education grant that public school boards receive.
Newly-elected president of ASBA Helen Clease made a statement that included:
- We don't have an issue with there being private schools. But we believe that the public dollars should go to public schools where every child can have access to that education.
- At a time where every bit would help in the public education system, whether it's substantial or not, I think we have to support public education.
- We're there to take every child and we have to make sure that we can meet many, many diverse needs with our children in our communities.
We all would like to believe that education is the great equalizer. Some even go so far as to say that the antidote to poverty is education.
However, without mindful and purposeful policies that fund and support public education in pursuit of equity for all, schools will merely perpetuate and reinforce the worst injustices