Is the Ontario Education System Fair to All Its Students?

"Reaching Every Student" is the believe and philosophy of the Ontario Ministry of Education.

In Ontario, the government hopes to reach and educate every student in the province regardless of the student's economic background, gender, religion, race, ethnicity and learning abilities. However, this idealistic belief may not be realized and attainable for all Canadians residing in Ontario.

Unfortunately, there appears to be a two tiered systems in Ontario. The first tier for students of parents who are vocal, Canadian born and usually from English speaking background - those who are bold and  unafraid to approach the schools and know how the system works. These parents would be able to advocate for their children, especially those with special needs and getting a lot of help for them.

The second tier is for the ones who are newcomers/ immigrants, with limited English and those though Canadian born, but with little knowledge of how the educational system works therefore do not challenge the system such as the aboriginal people. These parents face many obstacles and barriers when they try to contact and approach the schools for help for their special need children. Their children would just get the basic education without much assistance.

S.'s son was born with an obvious physical defect on one of his hands. Recently, I met S. and her boys and I was surprised to find out that he has not identified as a special education student by the school. In Canada, there is special help for students with special needs. But the children need to be identified and assessed by the school if parents want to get any personalized programs or extra help for them to meet their learning needs.  If a child is not identified, i.e. without precise and accurate assessment, he/ she would not get any special help from the school at all.

 I encouraged the parent  to make an appointment to meet with her son's principal regarding the issue.   However, she had a really difficult time getting an appointment to meet with the principal as she was told that the principal was busy attending meetings.

When the parent called the school again during her lunch break, she was asked first by the secretary then passed on to the vice principal who asked again why she wanted this meeting. This parent with limited English was intimated and felt discouraged. She called me for advice. I told her it was the parents' right in Canada to meet with the principal and she should persist.  After a number of tries, she finally got an appointment with the principal.

She asked me if I could accompany her to the meeting and I accepted the invitation as I really want to help this student with special needs and I know how the education system works in Ontario.

J. is a student with a physical disability and he has been attending an elementary school in the York Region District School Board, a part of the Ontario Education System for the past eight years. Unfortunately, he has not received any resource or help since he was in kindergarten.

Is the education system fair in Ontario? To some, it is, if they know how to advocate for their children. But to those who cannot or know how to advocate for their children, they do not get anything.  Is this equity?

R.T.
Toronto