The following is a letter we have sent to HDSB Superintendent, Rob Eatough and Trustee, Amy Collard...
Dear Rob,
We have just read the article in the Burlington Post relating to Pineland and we need to address this quote of yours:
Superintendent Rob Eatough told the crowd of the struggles in recent years to run a viable English program at Pineland because of historically low enrolment.
An English program review was done in 2010 but efforts to increase the English student population, such as introducing optional attendance from other schools, did not make a difference.
“Parents at Pineland have lived with a lot of uncertainty for a number of years,” said Eatough, noting board officials didn’t want to delay a programming decision any longer.
He said people can debate why French instruction is so popular but that the reality is, “It doesn’t matter why people are picking French (immersion) — they are picking French.” - Rob Eatough
We take issue with this statement. There are a myriad of reasons why parents choose FI which you need to know because some of them have had, and continue to have detrimental effects on the English track within dual track schools in general, and specifically Pineland.We know at last fall's FSL meeting, trustee Strachan asked if HDSB has ever bothered to find out WHY parents choose FI. The answer is no, they have not and reading this article we can see why - you, as part of the executive in charge of BRCs, don't seem to think it matters. Maybe you just don't care why parents choose it because French Immersion is a cash cow that makes HDSB lots of money so why do anything to reduce that funding?
- HDSB has rampantly promoted FI over the last 10 years as being superior to English and giving children and advantage. With this current generation of parents being the most competitive in history, you can bet this played a huge part in decisions to enroll children into the optional program.
- HDSB has steadfastly refused to offer protection to the English track within a dual track school. This sends the message that the English track is not valued as highly as the optional program, French Immersion. English numbers 'dwindle' because enrollment into optional programming is uncontrolled, causing a huge imbalance. Because of the lack of certainty to the whether or not the English track will remain in a school, it affects how SK parents are advised. Considering most parents want their children to go to their neighbourhood school, whatever program is guaranteed to stay will be the one selected.
- Principals of imbalanced dual track schools have recommended French Immersion. We know this to be a fact at Pineland. If your own school Principal doesn't have confidence in the English track's future within your child's school - why would you? Perhaps THIS is the reason “It’s never taken root in the community. I think the culture and history of the school leads parents to choose French immersion for their kids…” - Amy Collard
- Core French doesn't start until grade 4. This is piggy-backing slightly on the competitive nature of parents in point #1, but parents are smart and read that learning languages is best if started in the early years. English track doesn't offer French until grade 4 so parents who are already mapping out their child's future, will sign that child up for grade one FI to 'get a leg up' on his/her peers. Do you honestly think that not having equal access to learning the country's other official language is irrelevant?
- Spec ed is virtually non-existent in French Immersion. You are kidding yourselves if you think this is not a real reason that some parents choose FI. Everyone knows that the vast majority of IEPs are in the English track so if you want your child to be away from those 'problem children', you sign up for FI. You get a private school-like setting for your child on public tax dollars, ESPECIALLY if it's a single track FI school like the ones in Oakville. Win-win!
Well, we're here to inform you that it does matter, Mr. Eatough - and until these reasons are addressed, this issue will never go away.
How many boundary reviews are you and HDSB willing to put taxpayers through over this optional program? We'll keep on running on this hamster wheel of boundary reviews until you and HDSB 'get' that you must know the WHY before you can come up with real, long-term solutions.