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I r 1 ▲ ..a • SINCE 1854 • AMALGAMATED 1999 WITH CLARliBfflON THIS WEEK • Press run 21,900 16 Pages Keep on cruising Wheels Pull out ednesday, April 10, 2002 ional 3 week delivery $5/$l newsstand Top athletes at Durham Sports, page 15 Teen denied male date at prom Gay couple barred from school dance BY MIKE RUTA Stuff Writer DURHAM -- While the Catholic school board says it accepts Marc Hall, it will not endorse homosexual behaviour by allowing him to attend the prom with his boyfriend. "The principal's decision and our decision to support the principal is consistent with the instruction of the Church to accept accept Marc with respect, compassion compassion and sensitivity," Mary Ann Martin, chairman of the Durham Catholic District School Board, said at Monday's Monday's board meeting, reading from a prepared statement. "Just as the Church urges such an approach, it also draws a line. Like the Church, we accept accept and support Marc, but we also accept and respect the line that the ' Church has drawn. Marc wants us to help him cross this line at this Catholic school function. This we will not do." The Oshawa meeting room was packed with media and onlookers as Mr. Hall, a Monsignor Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School student, and his supporters asked the board to change its position. He appealed appealed to trustees after school principal Michael Powers, when asked by Mr. Hall, re- MARC HALL 7 just want to go to prom with my partner, V v v John Paul.' . -jk fused to let him bring his boyfriend to the May 10 prom. ■ Y !■■'. Gf-ij Mr. Hall, the last of seven delegations on the issue Mon- ; l ' \ day, told trustees their position • ■ : ' ? r' was contradictory. "You are basically saying that it's all right to be gay, as r ri'Y/ ; long as you hide it," he said. .7 - - ,»r, ■ Y- m ' Mr. Hall also responded to /T", jr : tiwÆèm. those who would say he is an attention-seeker whose 15 •->' '."4 /À»? ; . .; . /// "I don't know anyone who would continually exhaust themselves if it weren't really important," he said. "I just want to go to prom with my partner, John Paul." "I plead with you tonight to See STUDENT page 8 .v/"'wV à [ I 'J, Make a wish WALTER PASSARELLA/ Statesman photo NEWCASTLE - Grade S students Jenna MacDonell and Stephanie Porter helped donate to a fund-raiser at The Pines Senior Public School. Students were able to purchase a star for the Children's Wish Foundation. The school raises $2,900 annually. Province-wide test results adding up Results reflect new curriculum, other initiatives BY MIKE RUTA Staff Writer DURHAM -- Ontario students students have leaped closer to the front of the class in a national math assessment, results released last week indicate. The school achievement indicators indicators program (SAIP) assesses a random sample of 13- and 16- year-old students from every province and territory in Canada in math, reading and writing, and science. Begun by the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC), the tests in each subject subject area are staggered, taking place at four-year intervals. In 2001, roughly 41,460 Canadian students, including over 4,800 in Ontario, wrote the two-and-a-half-hour math assessment. assessment. The numbers show Ontario English-speaking students, especially especially the 13-year-olds, fared much better than on the 1997 math test. In content, one of the two test components, the 13-year-olds finished fourth in the country, compared to 15th oh the last test. And, in problem solving, pupils finished in sixth, compared to 12th in 1997. Education Minister Janet Ecker was quick to point to the Province's new curriculum and student testing initiatives as the reason for the improvement. But, she said it's no time to rest on our laurels. "There's no reason, with the excellence of our students and teachers and our curriculum, there's no reason we can't set a standard for the country, eventually," eventually," Ms. Ecker said in an interview. interview. Quebec and Alberta students in recent years have generally fared best among Canadian pupils in national and international international tests, and the SAIP assessment assessment was no exception. Ms. Ecker, in a press release, said Ontario Ontario is on a road to education reform reform these provinces have trav- MPP grilled by council JOHN O'TOOLE Confirmed commitment to Lakeridge Health, ITER. BY JACQU1E MclNNES Staff Writer CLARINGTON - Durham MPP John O'Toole confirmed his commitment to the Lakeridge Lakeridge Health Corporation and the proposed ITER fusion research research facility last week during a presentation to Clarington council. "I have written a letter of support for the hospital's deficit," said the MPP, who noted he supports the need for an additional $4 million the hospital corporation is asking the Ministry of Health to approve. approve. Mayor John Mutton asked Mr. O'Toole if he also supports levying development charges (DCs) to new home builders to provide additional money for the area hospitals that have been facing a funding crunch. Regional and Clarington council council have repeatedly requested they be allowed to charge the DCs but the Province, as yet, has not approved them. "I do support the development-charge development-charge component," the MPP said. "1 have from the beginning," beginning," he added, noting some regional governments do contribute to their local hospitals hospitals and others don't. "Health care is changing dramatically. It's a huge issue. We've gone to a regional health care model where a full range of services is closer to home. That's the plan. All of us have to work together, all of us have to be involved," Mr. O'Toole said. The MPP was also grilled on the skyrocketing costs of Hwy. 401 interchanges. Under an agreement signed in 1999, the Region is picking up 22 per cent of the tab for three Durham highway interchanges while the local municipalities of Ajax, Oshawa and Whitby arc paying 11 per cent. It was See COUNCIL page 8 elled before -- and it's paying off here. "Setting high expectations, testing, good curriculum, good parental involvement and investments investments in teacher training -- all of these factors help to improve student learning," she said in the interview. "That is where we have to go next." However, Emily Noble, first vice-president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, in a press release said because See TEST page 8 Inside Eilt Statesman WHERE TO FIND IT Editorial Page 4 Classified 9 Sports 14 GIVE US A CALL General 579-4400 Distribution .. .579-4407 Death Notices .683-3005 Sincerely Yours 1-800-662-8423 Web site durhamregion.com General FAX .. .579-2238 Newsroom FAX .579-1809 Clarington has heart Terry Fox event tops in Durham BOWMANVILLE - When it comes to running for a good cause, Bowmanville is right at the front of the pack. The local Terry Fox run site has become the largest between Toronto and Ottawa and eighth in Ontario. 'The results show the effect of the strong team efforts showed in Bowmanville," says Walt Gibson, organizer of the Bowmanville nin. "A very large team of volunteers put in uncounted uncounted hours to make the Bowmanville Bowmanville run a success." Final reports from the provincial office show the Bowmanville Bowmanville site raised $70,616 - $8,000 more than original estimates estimates - last September with 1,129 participants. That is a 35- per cent increase over 2000 participation. participation. In contrast, many sites experienced a decrease, attributed attributed to Sept. 11, says Mr. Gibson. The run, a tribute to Terry Fox, who lost his leg to cancer" and attempted to run across Canada in 1980 to raise money for cancer research, has taken place each year since 1981. Mr. Fox, who became a national hero because of his 'Marathon of Hope,' which was cut short in Thunder Bay due to a return of cancer, died from the disease in 1981 at the age of 22. Terry Fox Runs have since taken place around the world and have raised many millions of dollars for cancer research. The increased number of individual individual participants in Bowmanville Bowmanville was bolstered by a significant significant increase in corporate teams, Mr. Gibson adds. 'This shows the ran has truly become a community event. A wide range of people including high school volunteers, corporate corporate leaders, churches, employees employees of small and large businesses, businesses, local politicians - all have made this event an overwhelming overwhelming success." Other results for Durham included: included: Whitby with 677 participants participants raising $52,468, Pickering Pickering with 200 participants raising $45,388, Oshawa with an unknown unknown number of participants raising $29,323. With the taste of success pushing them forward, the Bowmanville Bowmanville organizing team is already already thinking of the 2002 run. "We would love to hear from anyone who is interested in volunteering volunteering not only for run-day activities but for behind the scenes work as well," says Mr. Gibson. "I think we've only begun to show the size of heart that beats in this community." c ® v S ' ONTARIO'S DRIVE CLEAN ACCREDITED TEST & REPAIR FACILITY *An «(Tidal mark of the Province «T Ontario used under licence. Whitby Li n - Oshawa nda 1110 DUNDAS. ST. E., WHITBY LOCAL l l J(>5) 666-1772 EtCWmX \A www.honda1.com BE 166 King E»g Bowmanville ■806-623-3396 'Prtcw >'• plus tarn, llcenw and administration lee. raywii imm wmi ©mi^isisimh 1999 Grand Prix GT 4Dr. 3.o VG. loaded, leather Interior, heated power seal, CD player, aluminum wheels, sleeting wliool controls, koyloss onlty. 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