BY: Matias de dovitiis
In some of the schools in the area, you still see the old North York School Board logo, a relic from before amalgamation, when local schools were operated by smaller boards. The school boards have changed over time, but the public system we have is one of the oldest in the world. The city of Toronto indeed has a heritage that is as old as any place in the world in terms of its public schools. Nelson Mandela Public School, located in the core of the city, dates back to 1853, making it one of our oldest buildings. This is because we have a public school system that is older than Canada itself.
Our system has a long tradition, which makes us unique but also means some of our buildings are old. For example, in the Downsview area, several schools recently celebrated their 50-year anniversaries, dating back to the 1960s when subdivisions were being built. This brings us to today, where, as part of a new initiative to modernize and upkeep our buildings, several schools in the area are being refreshed through the Building Envelope Renewal Project from the TDSB. As the local TDSB Trustee, I hope to be able to expand this program in the future.
As of now, Driftwood PS, Elia MS, Gosford PS, Lamberton PS, and Yorkwoods PS have been designed, and most projects have started. Design work is now progressing for Firgrove PS, Chalkfarm PS, and Brookview MS. The process includes input from students and parents through consultations. The end result will include new green spaces, improved aesthetics, and new play and exercise areas for our students.
I think almost everyone will be happy to see some overdue care and love given to our school buildings. Better schools mean healthier communities. However, there are some serious constraints that school boards face in making improvements. The province has for decades now hindered school boards from making independent decisions while reducing the funding per child. The Ford government is just the latest to do this.
In essence, we invested more per child 25 years ago than we do today, even when adjusted for inflation. This may be counterintuitive, but it is true. A child in 1993, before amalgamation, received more funding than a child today in 2023 on average across Ontario. Budgets are being reduced by the provincial government every year, affecting the education offered in our classrooms. This is a conversation that we need to have. In a world now dominated by knowledge technology, where will our society be without an educated workforce to manage the challenges of the next generation? Public education is a promise we make to all children that we will provide them with opportunities as they grow up. Currently, we are shortchanging our school children. It's time for our communities to discuss how to better keep our promise to our students.