My introduction to education issues began in 2002 when I had the privilege to be one of five panel members traveling around British Columbia in search of the principles of public education. At the end of our journey we published the Charter for Public Education which is a document that now belongs to the public, along with a full report that expanded on each of these principles with details from our hearings.
An experience that was life changing for me in many ways! Listening to over 1500 people of all ages from all walks of life around this province. All of them sharing their frustrations and their visions for what public education could be, and should be.
This was also the time that I was introduced to the fears that many people have around the privatization of public education. As a fan of documentaries the seed was planted in my mind for a project that would explore this subject in a new way. In the 8 years since the Charter was published I've learned a few things that have helped propel me to see this project come to life.
One thing I've learned is that the stakeholders, such as the teachers, trustees, principals, superintendents and support staff (all those people involved in the day to day work of education) can't do a project like this on their own without being written off as a "special interest" group.
While I have been actively involved with the Charter for Public Education Network (CPEN), the organization we founded to keep the dialogue started with the Charter process going, I have found it a challenge to discuss the principles with those who want to dismiss the entire process because it was initially funded by the BC Teachers federation. (BCTF)
The reason I remained committed to CPEN for many years is because I wanted to make sure the voices of all the community members we heard from weren't written off because some people believe its just a tool for the teachers union. (fyi, the only stakeholder who didn't have any time for the Charter for Public Education process was the provincial Ministry of Education. The Minister of the day declined many invitations by our panel to share her thoughts on the principles of public education with us)
Another thing I've learned is that each of the stakeholder groups is caught up in their own important issues of class size, tuition hikes, special needs supports, safety, technology, maintenance and other problems which are really symptoms of a bigger challenge they all face. Everyone is dealing with continued budget cuts which sometimes has them fighting each other for needed resources.
My theory is that we can nickle and dime our education system to death, or we can invest in the system we want.
Well, what kind of system DO we want?
Lately there is a big push for more and more 'school choice' which I'm worried about. I wonder how much choice we can offer and still be able to provide quality for all learners. And here lies that slippery slope to free market reform: if parents are going to 'shop' around for the 'best' school for their child, why not just hand them the money and let them really shop?
I'm someone who suffers a wee bit of shopping anxiety, even more so when I have too much choice, which is one reason I'm nervous about this path. Do we really have that much to worry about that we need to shop? Why aren't we simply investing in quality neighbourhood schools so children can be educated in their home community?
Another reason the market approach makes me nervous is that we need to consider who we want controlling our education system, and why. If we treat education like just another free market service, who is liable when things go wrong? And does competition between schools for students and funding really improve learning outcomes?
These are the issues I want to spark debate around with Canadians.
While I still believe in the Charter for Public Education as an effective tool for dialogue, I also want to provide something a little less 'mom and apple pie'. This is the other dismissive line that I hear when some people look at the principles it expresses. I'm a big fan of moms and apple pie, and I'm also a believer in having things we can aspire towards to help us progress as a human society. We shouldn't be afraid of things that are visionary in their ideal and that give us something to live up to.
When my daughter starts kindergarten in the fall my focus will turn to the local once again, and along with getting involved with the school Parent Advisory Council (PAC) I'll likely reconnect with CPEN as I really enjoy talking with people about the principles, which ones they agree with, don't agree with and why? Which ones reflect the reality in their schools and communities?
Now is my time to explore the big picture and finish my quest to understand the politics of the privatization debate and share my findings with others who are keen to talk about the pros and cons of a public or a private system overall.
My hope is that my documentary will provide another tool for dialogue that people can use when organizing in their communities, as well as a little something that will encourage all Canadians to value what our public education system already contributes to our society...and what it might look like if we invest in its full potential for all learners.
No comments:
Post a Comment