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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-05-19, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN. WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1999. Letters to the editor OECTA president dispels Harris myth THE EDITOR, Possibly the greatest myth perpetrated by the Harris government has been its claim that class sizes in Ontario’s elementary and secondary schools have been reduced. The truth is that the majority of classrooms contain many more students than the premier admits. Mike Harris wants Ontarians to believe that as a result of his education cuts, elementary classes contain no more than 25 students, and secondary classes are capped at 22 students. But he’s talking about board-wide averages - calculated Writer says she’s confused THE EDITOR, I am very confused. The Harris government repeatedly tells me that they are the best money managers for the province and so I should vote for them. But I keep getting information to the contrary. Maclean’s (May 17/99) tells me that the percentage of debt in Ontario is now higher than it was under the NDP Rae government. The NDP was in power during a recession. But the Tories are managing to do this in good economic times when the dollar is low and the U.S., our biggest trading partner, is in the midst of a boom. The Tories have increased the debt by $22 billion to about 30 per cent of the economy. Ouch! I wonder who will have to pay that off eventually? Maclean’s also tells me that the CCAC offers enhanced service Continued from page 4 work, and personal support/homemaking assistance to people at home. There is no cost to eligible clients. For people wishing to die at home, the CCAC for Huron has an Enhanced Palliative Service which can provide additional support. The client and family are able to access up to 24-hour care in the last few days of a person’s life, to assist them to remain at home. Family often finds they can manage a person’s care during the day with the assistance of the visiting nurse, home support worker, etc., but they can’t be up all day and all night too. Having someone there to look after the dying person at night allows the family to get some sleep, yet be there if needed. The visiting nurse is always available 24 hours a day by beeper. The CCAC can also provide certain equipment and medications to help manage the dying person’s needs. The CCAC for Huron contracts with Community Nursing Services (Belgrave) and St. Elizabeth Health Care (Clinton) to provide nursing care and with Town and Country Support Services (Wingham) and St. Elizabeth Health Care (Clinton) to provide personal support/homemaking services. Other palliative care services available in Huron County include the Wingham and Area Palliative Care Service, Huron Hospice Volunteer Service and VON Palliative Care Volunteer Program. These programs provide volunteers willing to sit with clients to give families a break, and to support by dividing the total number of pupils in elementary or secondary schools by the total number of elementary or secondary classes. This is not what most students experience. In fact, the majority of Ontario classrooms contain more than the average number of students. As a result, they’re receiving less time and attention than they deserve. Furthermore, with a defined limit on the maximum acceptable class size, some have crept up to 35 and beyond. A January 1999 study of Catholic schools conducted by the Ontario Peterson Liberals in similar boom times created more jobs while they RAISED taxes! You can see my confusion. As well, we are one of only two provinces who still have a deficit. Wow. An increased debt AND a deficit. At the same time, Harris has sold off many public agencies such as Ontario Hydro, the Land Registry, and Highway 406. You would have thought that kind of money would go directly to paying off the debt. How was that money used? I really can’t say that I have noticed much of a difference in my take-home pay after the tax cut. I guess I’m not in the right income bracket. I have noticed a lot of increased fees and service charges. All in all I can’t really understand how the Tories have helped me financially. clients and families through the grieving process. Pain and Symptom Management Resource Teams have recently been set up in Huron County to try and ensure clients, families and health care professionals have access to the latest information about palliative care services. For more information, or to access any of these services, call the CCAC for Huron at 482-4311 or 1-800-267-0535. Choosing to die at home is a very personal decision - some people have very strong feelings for it and others have very strong feelings against it. The palliative care volunteer programs and the Pain and Symptom Management Resource Teams are available for people in hospital as well as those at home. Many hospitals are opening Palliative Care rooms that provide a more homey atmosphere as well as extra space for family. The Huron County Palliative Care Committee has been formed to address gaps in palliative care service in Huron County, to provide educational opportunities and to provide information about services available locally. They recently hosted over 100 people at an education day in Holmesville. They are responsible for initiating the Pain and Symptom Management Resource Teams and for printing a brochure outlining these palliative care/hospice services in Huron County. Look for this brochure to be arriving soon at your local doctor’s office. Sincerely yours, Nancy Walker Case Manager, CCAC for Huron English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA), based on reports from 13,750 teachers in 1,078 schools across the province, revealed that 60 per cent of elementary students are in classrooms which exceed 25 students. Class sizes in the primary grades (Grades 1 and 2) have risen sharply under the Harris government. Averaging 23.01 pupils, these, classes are larger than the 20:1 pupil-teacher ratio which was the norm under the previous funding system, which provided special grants to limit class sizes in Grades Now I hear that the tax cut is costing us over $4 million per day. Another wow. As you can see, I really am confused. Why would I want to vote them in again? Linda Easton Goderich. RPN wants to see THE EDITOR, I am a registered practical nurse who has worked for Red Cross as a homecare provider in Bruce County. Mike Harris in his election “Blueprint” says he supports nursing. The truth is Mike Harris’s cuts and privatization of care services have left home care nurses living- at poverty levels. After nurses pay for driving to their house calls, they are left with lessthan a minimum wage. They receive NO health plan benefits, sick leave or vacation entitlement. 7 me h fa Te-Em EarmL V 1 and 2 to 20. This was abolished by the Harris government’s Education Quality Improvement Act. OECTA’s study also showed that over 5.5 per cent of secondary classrooms, (accounting for 65.1 per cent of the province’s high school students) are in classes that exceed the secondary limit of 22. Despite government claims to have placed more emphasis on math, science and English in secondary schools, classes in these subjects also exceed the target. As well, OECTA’s research revealed that more than 30 per cent of elementary pupils are being taught in combined grade classrooms, where the teacher’s time is divided between students in separate grades. Teachers of combined-grade classes must cover two different and often unrelated curricula in the time usually devoted to teaching one grade level. This raises concerns about test results, since they are focused on specific content for each grade. The problems go beyond The Harris tax cuts will not raise their -income levels above the poverty line. Polls suggest that the well educated are voting for Harris. Harris’s Blueprint says the tax cuts have created 540,000 more jobs, yet any fool knows that our economy is tied to the Americans and the American economy is booming because of the two terms of liberal Democratic fiscal policies whereby the growth gets shared with all. Our own federal Liberal government has kept interest rates low and allowed the dollar to SUPER SELECTION! SUPER QUALITY! SUPER SERVICE! SUPER VALUE! They carry all the new varieties including... PROVEN WINNERS, SURFINIAS, MILLION BELLS, TAP1EN, BACOPA & VERBENA Elrr~yz>- ..that everyone is talking about! HUNDREDS OF PERENNIALS & BEAUTIFUL NURSERY STOCK! Ted’ Tasty Tomatoes! Asparagus now available | in freezer quantities! WATER PLANTS AVAILABLE' Ontario’s Catholic schools. A review of public elementary school boards conducted by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) also found classes that exceeded the limits. A class size “contest” conducted by ETFO revealed classes of 35, 42 and even 50. Our students’ opportunities are being limited as a result. We know that students in small classes consistently outperform those in regular classes, because more time is spent on curriculum, material is covered more quickly and in greater depth and less time is spent on classroom management. While each student receives more individual attention in a small class, those who need special services are more readily identified and are less likely to be disruptive. Sadly, in Ontario, class sizes have continued to rise since Mike Harris was elected. Has any student benefitted from the cuts to education? Marshall Jarvis, President of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association. respect fluctuate to keep Canadian workers competitive. Mike Harris has had nothing to do with these policies yet he wants us to believe that the crumbs that trickle down from the tax cuts to the rich and multinationals have made Ontario boom. His supporters may be educated but they lack a social conscience. It is disappointing to think that the people we care for would deny us, the hardworking care givers the respect, dignity and reward we deservee. Donna McLennan RR 2, Tiverton, ON. ’*1 1 jGoderich ~ -------- 1 Telephone Rd. N. 1 * 1 ? Golf te-em T farm | 1 Course ■ 1 W Huron County #13 " Bayfield Clinton '""■ ■ Mon-Fn Dawn to dusk, Sat-Sun 9~6 Te-Em Farm RR#1 Bayfield, Ont. NOM 1G0 (519) 482*3020