Re: “Our public-school system is thriving, thank you,” comment, Aug. 6.
I was cheered to read Diane McNally’s commentary in Sunday’s paper, especially her critical statement that a good part of public tax dollars go to support exclusionary private education in B.C.
Furthermore, I agree with the statement that not one political party in B.C. has committed to ending or even reducing that support. When I was called on by candidates in the recent election, I asked each one what their party’s position was on that very matter. Not one candidate was able to respond knowledgeably (although one asserted that since the parents of privately schooled students paid taxes, that justified spending public funds on private schools — well, we all pay taxes for the public good of our community, but I fail to see how funding private schools serves the public good).
I spent my teaching career in the public-school system. Since retiring and moving to B.C., I’ve been an informed spectator of, and volunteer in, its public schools. I am very impressed by B.C.’s public-school system and how it meets its students’ diverse needs.
Send your children to private schools if you must, but be prepared to foot the bill — the entire bill.
I invite our new minister of education to take a stand for using public funds to support our public-education system. What about it, Rob Fleming?
Mary Brackenbury
Victoria
