Funding for Faith-based Education

Jason Cherniak was right when he stated, "[p]rivate schools are not a Jewish issue" -- It's a multi-faith issue.

Jason went on to state:

Politicians should not be lobbied by Jewish groups to support private Jewish schools; they should be lobbied by Jewish groups to either fund all private religious schools or fund no private religious schools. As long as the organized Jewish Community continues to support funding of private religious schools to the exclusion of all other solutions to discriminatory education policy, the organized Jewish Community will be ignoring those Jews, like me, who prefer public education.

The organized Jewish community supports equitable and fair funding for all Ontario faith-based schools regardless of religious affiliation. In fact, the organized Jewish community plays an active role in the Multi-Faith Coalition for Equal Funding of Faith-Based Schools.

Jason also stated:

I believe that a fully public education system would be less discriminatory than a system that funds religious private schools [emphasis added].

Way to aim high, Jason. The issue is not about how to create less discrimination but how to eradicate it. As the only Western jurisdiction to fund one set of faith based schools to the exclusion of others, Ontario has been subject to much international criticism. In 1999 the UNHCR declared that Ontario's full funding of Catholic schools to the total exclusion of all others is discrimination and violates the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Supporting faith-based education is support for guaranteeing that cultural diversity may be retained and integrated within Ontario and Canadian society. This is the Canadian way. Jason is entitled to his opinion, but does not represent the Jewish voice within the Ontario Liberal Party. It's not about what you or I want, but rather about what communities need. Who are we to judge such needs?