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Page 6 — Halton Hills This Week, Wednesday, September 8, 1993 O inion i [HIS WEEN Halton Hils This Week, Wed i QE. Web Printing. Haten Hils This Week clans copyright this newspaper. 8 fuced on . Georgetown, Ont. L7G 4B}, Vices at wrong price, goods or services i be sald. Advert “s PUBLISHER: Ken Bellamy PRODUCTION MANAGER: Kathleen Topolsek JANAGER: OFFICE M, HALTON HILLS THIS WEEK IS INDEPI IE: 873-2254 PHON! Cracks in the school bell School days, school daze! It doesn’t really seem that long ago that the little terrors — and the not so little terrors — were streaming out the classroom doors ready to wreak summer havoc on a very sus- pecting public. Now the little jammers and their tweeny to teenie coeducationalists have safely been Tounded-up and herded into their respective ‘havens of learning’ (previously referred to as Classrooms) for yet anoth- er school year. purely partisan plans Catering to special interest groups. And, sad to say, the tinkering continues as the mandarins at Queen’s Park, safely ensconced in the education ministry, attempt to justify their existence, with students — and to a certain degree teachers — merely pawns in a chess game that no doubt will once again end in stalemate. For the first time since 1967, Standardized testing returns to high schools when an estimated 155,000 Grade 9 students will have their Teading and writing skills tested over a two-week period in October. In addition, yet another Royal Commission on Learning has been announced. Buddy can you spare me a Dimetapp! Our present Education Minister, Dave Cooke, shies away from the words “standardized testing” when he comments, “People think a standardized test is one with multiple choice questions that are marked by a computer — one where your whole future depends on one test. Of course, that’s not what we’re doing.” Hey Davey, when 155,000 Grade 9 students from across the province are given the same Set of tests Over a two-week period, (regardless of whether or not they are multiple choice questions) what the hell do you call it? Mass volunteering? Of course, the fact that Cooke’s predecessor as Education Minister, Tony Silipo was adamantly Opposed to standardizéd testing wouldn’t have any- thing to do with Cooke’s waltzing with words, would it? Hey Dave! I have another tough riddle for you. If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck and flies like a duck, what is it? A moose? (Sorry, Dave. I guess that was one of those tricky multiple choice questions.) I’ve written it before, and I-maintain mny stance. The standardized testing of reading, writing and math skills should be done at the elementary school level. At the very latest, when the student enters Grade 8. What happens to those Grade 9 students who are discovered to be totally lacking in the afore-men- tioned skills come testing time. They have already broken free of the elementary school cocoon, yet are Obviously not ready to fly in the high school jet stream. Do we humiliate them by sending them back to Grade 8, or do we take the €asy. route and just let them fall through the education system cracks and into the burgeoning ranks of the unemployed youth or youth welfare cast-offs? This new Royal Commission on Learning, which will conduct hearings from Sept. 27 to Dec. 15, has come under flack already. Co-chair, Gerry Caplan Says the initial feedback has been negative and most of the criticism has come from teachers. 3 Who can blame them? This is the fifth government commission since 1986 (and the third since 1988) to look into Ontario’s school system ‘and all that has Tesulted — aside from a horrendous waste of taxpayers’ money — is an education system unsatisfactory to all con- cerned. More columns to follow on this fractious issue. Colin Gibson Editor's note: The follow- ing letter was released to HHTW for publication Mayor Russ Miller c/o The Town of Halton Hills TV leadership debates important to the country To the Editor: It seems that leadership Plays one end of the most important roles in our deci- sion on which party we choose to vote for, either fed- erally or provincially. Yet we don’t often have the chance to see and hear a debate between our party leaders that’s not too starchy and formally pre- ed. pared. T understand that CBC had I'm not convinced that the best person in a debate is nec- essarily the best person to lead the country. On the other hand, one has to wonder why anyone wishing to be leader of the country would shy away from explaining and defending his/her policies with other contenders for the 2 —<— The government’s new plan; you may not live longer but you’ll feel older, Letters Welcomed Halton Hills This Week welcomes your letters. Letters must be signed and include your full name and address, Names will be with- “held on request, Halton Hills This Week reserves the right to edit, revise, or reject any letters on the basis of factual errors, Punctuation, spelling errors Or as a result of space limita- tions, Opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are not necessarily those of Halton Hills This Week. Send your letter to: The Editor Halton Hills This Week 232 Guelph St., Unit 9 Georgetown, ON L7G 4B1 Or fax to: 416-873-3918 leadership. Let’s hope that we’re not only going to see leaders challenged in the sterile atmosphere of prepared ques- tions that will be just about as exciting as the leadership forums for the PCs this sum- mer. I hope they wake us up on election day. Mike Pembry Terra Cotta otions are~ to someone Isc. : | It is no wonder t Sees herself/himself as an extension of someone else, | If baby’s demands are met tegularly and co nsistently, bab also begins to see a of the erse. I am hungry : ith food; an egoli t 4 il an age that she is unable to” meet her own needs, what we are doing is building ‘self-esteem and security, But this w that baby is living cannot: 80 on foreve becomes monster. — The People's Corner Town staff lauded an 1 Halton Hills Drive Georgetown, Ontario L7G 2T1 Dear Russ: This letter is being sent in appreciation for the fast action. of. your staff at the indoor pool at Georgetown and District High School. My wife is highly allergic to the sting of a Yellow Jacket homet and was at the indoor pool-when such an incident occurred. Thanks to the fast action of your Staff, a near disaster was averted. The proper phone calls were made and my wife was assisted in every way possible and made to USE it is ame Thystique now, because it i not a surprise when da Teappears from behind the - hands. Baby knows he is ere, : E & merely an offer to sell which may be withdrawn at any time. EDITOR: Colin Gibson CIRCULATION MANAGER: Marie Shadbolt yi ell 5 ewell ENDENTLY OWNED & OPERATED. Fi d appreciated feel as comfortable as she could due to the circum- stances, We would Personally like to thank Jennifer Knapman for her kind and courteous manner and actions. We also would like to thank Andrea and Kristin Herner for their actions and con- cerns. They certainly make an excellent team. e really appreciate everything these people did and it certainly reflects well on the staff of the Town of Halton Hills in the direction of the people they employ. Tom & Pat Politi Georgetown Each of these develop- makes i acce|