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the HERALD Community Tuesday December 1991 POLICE BEAT Numbers To Note EMERGENCY Police Fire or Ambulance Dial 91 Fire Information 8771 1 33 Police NonEmergency 8785511 Hospital 1 1 Distress Centre 8771 21 1 Breaking up Regional Police charged a Milton man with assault after he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend after she broke up with him Police say the couple had lived and worked together at a Georgetown horse farm earlier this month before the woman decided to break off the relationship On Dec 17 the man returned to the home and allegedly assaulted the woman to get the house keys so he could retrieve his belongings say police While in the home police say the man stole the victims television The man has been charged with assault and theft under and will appear in Milton court Jan for a bail hearing Caught in the act Police report a mischief maker was caught in the act of smashing in a door at a Main St apartment building in Georgetown Saturday night Police say the couple were awakened by the sound of loud banging coming from a second floor hallway The husband went to in vestigate and came face to face with the accused A police in vestigation revealed the accused had kicked in a vacant apartment door causing damage Charged with mischief is a 34yearold Georgetown man Shoplifters Police charged two Georgetown men for shoplifting Saturday The first man a 43yearold Georgetown resident was caught concealing a box of chocolates from Delrex Smoke Shoppe and charged with theft under to appear in court Jan 20 The other Georgetown man aged was witnessed hiding a jacket underneath his own coat in A store employee followed him around the store and chased him across the parking lot to catch him He was also charged with theft under and will appear in Milton court Jan School board not a grinch By LISA The Herald In no way has the Board of Education banned Christmas In schools says Board Director Bob Williams in to recent speculation In that it had Somehow word has gotten out that the Board of Education has in some way banned Christmas In our schools says the director This is a complete and total misrepresentation by the media of the reality of the celebration of Christmas In our schools His comments relate to a cartoon printed In an Oakville newspaper that pictured the Board of Education stating there was no room at the for Christmas In no way shape or form has the Board removed from our schools he said at a Board meeting Thursday night Our schools have not been sent a direc tive about Christmas nor have we passed a policy that would in any way negatively affect the celebration of Christmas He said the Board recognizes the religious significance of Christmas to the majority of people in he community and that this significan ce Is carried over into the schools However he said schools do have a responsibility to be sensitive to the diverse cultural and religious backgrounds of Halton students The operative words are sen sitivity and said Mr Williams We expect ad ministrators and school staff to con tinue to be sensitive to the com position of their school community and at the same time to include ap preciation of other religious But at least one Halton Hills woman who preferred not to have her name printed believes the Board doesnt appreciate Christ- mas values Theyre eliminating Christian customs from schools she said To Christians Christmas is about the birth of Christ and IT others dont want to celebrate Jesus birth they can stay Id their offices and work She believes as the Board tries to respect all and cultural belle that Christian are being eroded If they expect me to respect other religions they have to respect mine as well but It seems theyre just sweeping Christian faiths un der the carpet Bob Williams Mr Williams said If people find it necessary to find a grinch in this situation they should look to the Provincial government The governments Ministry of Education has issued directives to all boards thai no one religion can occupy a position of primacy in public elementary and secondary schools Our Board has been placed In a difficult position he said We are trying to react to policy and direc tion from the Ministry while at the same time be responsive to our local community Both Hills school trustees Dick Howitt and Dave Whiting are confident religious values are being respected In the school system Mr Whiting said the Board hasnt done anything to discourage Christ mas celebrations and believes Its up to the individual schools on how they celebrate the season Mr Howitt said from what hes seen schools have been relating their celebrations to the cultural makeup of the schools I was at the Georgetown District High School concert and they engaged the whole audience in singing Christmas carols he said Thats appropriate for a Georgetown school bat it might not be appropriate In other Halton schools where there are large of of other religions Whatever is happening In the schools the Board Is sending out Christmas cards with absolutely no religious reference They read Seasons Greetings and Best Wishes for the coming year Tour of lights seniors Muriel Eyre left and Helen Louth received a big hug from Santa Wednesday at St Andrews United Church In Georgetown after having just completed a tour of Christmas lights In Georgetown with approximately other local seniors The event which was the annual Is sponsored by the Georgetown Kinsmen Club Upon arriving at the church the seniors were treated to an array of eats and a performance by the Cen tennial Alumni Choir directed by Paul Brlsley San ta Is Kinsman Jim Ford Halton Board Of Education gets a passing grade By LISA The Herald A Taxpayers Coalition audit of the Board of Educations 1991 budget has found no areas of significant over spending But it did find some items of nonessential spending contract caused or otherwise according to the report presented to Board trustees Dec 12 The Halton Taxpayers Coalition is a newlyformed group with a mission to obtain value for tax dollars in public spending Its main target is the Board of Education The report was undertaken by the Coalitions Public Audit and Review Committee headed by Roger Love and David of Oakville and Burlington respec tively The objective of the report according to the was to ascertain whether expenditures by the board should be considered un der control in the context of actual dollars spent value for money and programs included in the educational system Based on their findings that there was no significant overspending but some nonessential overspending the Coalition has recommended the following corollary restraint must be taken on teacher salary increases there is no justification for employment conditions and standards better than those in the private sector halt the declining pupil teacher ratio and increase it somewhat in the medium term make a onetime expenditure to computerize the answering of tran sportation enquiries including weather related school closings refuse subsidies to particular in terest groups trustees are elected to do what is proper for the com munity as a whole not for specific interest groups the Board should strongly resist legislation mandating new or ad ditional services unless appropriate for Halton and adequately funded by the level of government respon sible for the mandate Halton school trustee Dick felt the coalition made some good and was pleased they werent supercritical of the board He did not see eyetoeye with them on certain ideas such as class- size Theyre going on the basis that research has shown smaller class sizes dont necessarily mean students get a better education he said But Ive seen research that goes both ways and some say a smaller class size is better Hills other trustee newlyelected Dave Whiting agrees with the coalitions finding that the board hasnt significantly over spent The board seems to be pulling at the bottom line he said They have a lean organization As for the cuts in cost the coalition recommends Mr Whiting responded by saying do we want to make cuts on the system or produce graduates to compete in the jobmarket The Taxpayers Coalition report also listed a number of objectives one specifically concerning trustees themselves The time has come for to revert to the habits of yesteryear when trustees were generally people with extensive business ex perience with the basic knowledge necessary to qualify to serve as a member of what is in reality the Board of Directors of a quarter billion dollar business states the report Halton cannot afford to have trustees who however good their intentions do not have extensive business experience the report continued Both Mr Howitt and Mr Whiting disagreed with this theory How can we possibly mandate that trustees have business ex perience asked Mr The only way more business people can get on the board is if they run and are elected Mr Whiting felt the board couldnt be compared to a business because a business doesnt have to worry about producing capable students We cant put blinders on and head to the bottom line he said It takes a mixture of people to do a good job At the Thursday night meeting when the report was presented trustees agreed to receive the report The Boards Executive Assistant to the office of the Director Peter said the report will be given to the budget review committee to investigate BEAUMONT MUSIC Rod the Staff at Beaumont Music Wish All our Customers A Merry Christmas A Happy New Year For who dont shop long thought pause Oh Holidays Tool 130GudphSt GEORGETOWN 8774919