I have spent my school days between private and public schools. Nine years in the States, with high school here in Penticton and finishing off at UVic. I have two children in grade school and my wife is a teacher.
I have opinions about the education system in B.C. I am not out to bash teachers or their administrators. I have first-hand experience with the long hours teachers put into their day-to-day prepping for the students. I also have great memories of my high school teachers here in Penticton.
My thoughts are that the government of the day and whoever writes the school curriculum has to change and be brought up to date with the modern world.
Firstly, with the Internet being what it is, the children of today are further ahead with the three R’s and world views then what the present day grades have them in. A child in Grade 1 does much more advanced work today than what I did in Grade 1. By Grade 10 most students are ready to advance into the world, yet the system holds them back for another two years.
My last two years were a complete waste of time. I would rather have found a job, gone into a trade school or a university prep. Secondly, I feel our government has to allow the taxpayers to have the say as to where our money is spent. If my children go to a public school then my education tax dollars go there. If they go to private school then the money is sent there. If they choose a trade school or university, the money is sent there.
When my children are no longer in school then my money becomes mine and I do with it what I choose. If I want to donate it to a school of my choice then it is seen as a donation and I get a break on my taxes. With schooling only going to Grade 10, money can be saved by dropping subjects like home ec, automotive, woodwork, drama and sticking only to the main subjects. reading, writing and math.
Schools would ready the children for the real world. Let them choose a blue or white collar job and let the citizens of B.C. choose where their money is spent.
Patrick J. Buchanan
Penticton