Comment 75193

By moylek (registered) - website | Posted March 12, 2012 at 19:34:28 in reply to Comment 75185

Undustrial muses ...

Ya know what I'd like to see? A list of the city's schools/neighbourhoods ranked by average income.

I suspect that you would be surprised - if not by the events, then at least by the intention.

The members of the board of trustees are avowed friends of the disadvantaged, for the most part. If they close schools in poor neighbourhoods, it's only so that they can integrate the populations with those of richer schools (I draw this conclusion from reading The Spec and from a few conversations with trustees).

Because, you see, the dis-disadvantaged only do better- on average - because they have access to better resources. So if you _pool_ the resources, well ... everyone will do better - on average.

At least, that's the well-intentioned theory.

This theory leaves out the importance of parental attitudes and involvement. It assumes that somehow the _schools_ in the more affluent neighbourhoods are "better" or have "more resources" - as opposed to being filled with kids whose parents value education more (on average).

Which really doesn't have much to do with Prince Philip and G. R. Allan - both schools are above-average in measured outcomes for the Hamilton board and both are in middle-classish neighbourhoods.

But I have it on fairly good authority that "overcoming elitism" is an element here.

Comment edited by moylek on 2012-03-12 20:47:47

-- Kenneth Moyle Hamilton, Ontario

Permalink | Context

Events Calendar

There are no upcoming events right now.
Why not post one?

Recent Articles

Article Archives

Blog Archives

Site Tools

Feeds