Reviewing school boards

While there were many factors leading up to the June 1998 vote, including controversy over getting on the voters’ list for English boards, that helped convince people to cast their ballots, it was made clear West Islanders are interested in participating in the democratic process when motivated. Since then, interest in school board elections has waned, from voter turnout to the number of candidates. In 1998, only one of the 23 Pearson commissioners was acclaimed, with up to three candidates running against each other in several districts. For the coming Nov. 4 vote, 14 Pearson commissioners (all but one are incumbents) were acclaimed Sunday, leaving just seven races in the board.

One would think an institution running our public schools would interest more voters, considering the Pearson board also administers a budget of about $200 million, compared to a local city’s budget, such as Pointe Claire, of about $60 million. Mind you, municipal elections held after the Montreal de-merges had their share of acclamations and relatively low voter turnout stats compared to federal or provincial elections.

Some may argue the low voter turnout and the large number of acclamations means West Islanders don’t care about school boards or education. Others will say education is as an important an issue to voters as health or taxes, but that the school board system is too bloated and unwelcoming. One man who thinks the province should do away with school boards is Action démocratique du Québec leader Mario Dumont. During the last election campaign, he said school boards are bloated and suck up education dollars that could be used in the classroom. This is an idea that Dumont espoused in an effort to woo voters with promises of smaller government, a less-bloated civil service and more return on the tax dollar. Not a bad idea, but it would take away one of the few institutions that Quebec’s English-speaking community has control over. Even considering the municipal level where most West Islanders got their cities back, about half their property taxes go to the agglomeration council where Montreal’s mayor decides how to spend it.

The acclamations alone don’t mean the English-speaking community doesn’t care. For parents with a direct interest, they may not have the time to sit on a school board. Again, looking at the municipal level, where West Islanders fought tooth and nail to

get their cities back, once they won that

back (more or less with the agglo), they still

didn’t come out in droves for the subsequent elections.

While Dumont’s idea to abolish school boards outright is going too far for some, reviewing what they do and don’t should be looked out from the grassroots level all the way to the premier’s office. It’s far too important a matter to be complacent on and also a considerable amount of public funds to be apathetic about.?