Freedom Flyer 20

the official newsletter of the
Freedom Party of Ontario

April 1992

Article electronically reproduced from:

December 11, 1991

Education

Reputation of board wounded in election, says Cheryl Miller

The London board of education needs to improve its image by 'getting out the real message of public education', says its chairperson.

By KELLEY TEAHEN The London Free Press

There were "serious wounds" inflicted on the London board of education's reputation during the municipal election, says its new chairperson, Cheryl Miller.

Miller, in her inaugural address to the board Tuesday night, said there were "more untruths told during this campaign than in any other election I've been in."

When asked later what those "untruths" were, she said members and candidates from the London-Middlesex Taxpayers' Coalition played loose with statistics from a home and school survey of parents' attitudes about education.

Others criticized board budget expenses by citing items such as health club memberships for board staff, items Miller said aren't part of the board's budget.

DON'T EXIST:"I was budget chairperson last year and I went over everything. I even went back to the accountants and asked about these items, but they don't exist.

She told trustees, staff and guests gathered for the meeting it was "okay to be proud" of London's education system and suggested the board needed to improve its image with the public by "getting out the real message of public education."

But, she warned, it's going to be a tough year ahead, trying to maintain an education system with little to no increase in provincial tax grants.

"We can no longer let the ministry implement programs without providing full funding for those programs," she said. "We'll have to decide what's necessary and what's nice - and go with what's necessary."

Among other points:

Canadians are suffering stress from job losses, the recession and also from the national turmoil over the country's future, she said. "We will have to deal with the funnelled-down stresses on families and children ... We must provide a secure, nourishing environment. To some kids, (school) will be the best place they'll be all day."

The future of H.B. Beal Secondary School, London's largest secondary school that is in need of expensive, massive renovations: "We can no longer delay a decision on Beal. It's a mammoth job, and we need to get a grip on it in the coming year."

Improving technological education: "It will be costly, but we must introduce these new programs into our schools. We owe it to Canada's future to have a trained work force."

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