Dear editor:
This past summer, while at the cabin with my young daughter, I had the pleasure of listening to CBC’s Vicki Gabareau. One interview in particular has stayed with me.
Gabareau was interviewing an American author, and they were discussing his research findings that could, in part, explain the education dilemma we now face in Ontario.
Apparently he found that a large percentage of American politicians had done poorly in high school. This was attributed to their lack of what he coined “academic intelligence.” However, they did excel at what he called “practical intelligence,” to which they attributed their current political success.
Simply interpreted, politicians’ reluctance to support and fund public education is related to their own inability to succeed at school. He further suggested that these politicians do not believe in the public education system as we know it today, and are therefore reluctant to protect and enhance it.
I couldn’t help but think of our current situation in Ontario as both he and Ms. Gabareau speculated that these findings also could be applicable in Canada.
In Ontario, high school drop-out John Snobelen, the minister of education and training, is looking to further cut $1 billion from public education. Are we willing, as parents, to let the education of our children be completely in the hands of this government?
How is it that a group of politicians, led by a high school drop-out, know what is best for our children?
Sincerely,
Willa Kunkel
