The Chronicle
May 28, 2008
Congratulations on The Chronicle’s win for Best Overall Community Newspaper of 2007, and the Outstanding Photojournalism award and most important, I believe, Best Education Story award by the Quebec Community Newspapers Association.
It’s too bad that the QCNA awards didn’t have a category for ‘best contradictory education quote’. You would have won that one too. Remember, the Dec. 11, 2007 article, Teachers don’t need guidelines: QESBA?
Marcus Tabachnick, chairman of the Lester B. Pearson School Board, (then) president of Quebec English School Boards Association, and (then) president of the Canadian School Boards Association said (concerning books): “As always, when new programs are introduced, we want to be sure the teaching materials are in place on time, in English for the English system.”
Funny, in the past two months the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers, the Quebec Home and Schools Federation Association, and just recently, the Central Parents Committee of the Pearson Board have written letters to Education Minister Michelle Courchesne complaining that the lack of English textbooks puts the English students at a disadvantage when following the curriculum reform.
Finally, at the May 26 board meeting, the proposed secretive and punitive code of ethics for the commissioners of the Pearson board, failed to be adopted, because it contravened the basic principles of Bill 88. It calls for openness, transparency, answerability and, most importantly, democracy in elected school boards. Negligence, arrogance, and extravagance do not belong in the management of school boards.
Bravo to Education Minister Michelle Courchesne and her goals for the future running of school boards.
Chris Eustace
Pierrefonds
