Opinion: TDSB’s specialized program policy review: Mediocrity cannot be our best solution

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TDSB’s specialized program policy review: Mediocrity cannot be our best solution

The TDSB proposal’s stated aim is to give everyone an equitable chance at securing a spot in a specialized program. To do this, policy-makers suggest restructuring the programs and offering admission on the basis of interest rather than demonstrated skill, using a lottery process with racial and socioeconomic quotients instead of merit-based deliberation.

At Claude Watson, a specialized arts program that operates within Earl Haig Secondary School, the lack of diversity in some disciplines is an issue of accessibility, not talent. The TDSB’s limited arts offerings in elementary and middle schools cause some disciplines to imply a prerequisite of costly private training.

Regardless, pathways will be limited. Generalized arts classes in Grades 9 and 10 are not prerequisites for the Grade 11 and 12 Claude Watson courses. Without completely restructuring the curriculum, there will be no access to the Claude Watson courses currently being offered. If Claude Watson becomes less skill-focused, children from wealthy families can get the same quality of arts education elsewhere, but other equally talented children cannot.

Equitable access can coexist with skill-driven specialized programs without having to resort to an arbitrary lottery. Merit-based admissions are essential not only because they present opportunities for a student’s voice but because they afford teachers insight into the student’s attitude, motivation and potential.

 

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If mom's a cardiologist or dad's a bank VP, Junior can get their special program at UCC, UTS, Havergal, Appleby etc. For the lottery losers, it's Mediocre Average HS. Maybe this will expand the market for private schools, and competition will drive down tuition...

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