Brown-John: Windsor-Essex public education really is in crisis

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What is with the Greater Essex County District School Board? One way or another it has been engaged in some form or another of controversy for far too many months.

It appears that the local public school board has truly muddled its purpose and almost entirely lost a sense of vision.

Faced now with some serious financial deficit challenges, the GECDSB is slashing programs, services and perhaps futures for many students. From the Kingsville school naming debacle and limits on public engagement at board meetings, to the reduction of social workers and speech pathologists and services related to mental health issues, the board exudes an impression of an organization almost beyond control. Or achieving terminal chaos.

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For teachers within the school system the ‘job’ of teaching has become less focused and more complicated. No wonder many seek earlier retirement.

Consider two things:

• First, how did this board get itself into such debt that there is a possibility the province could take over the board’s operations? Is the board overloaded with administration such as its nine superintendents and endless consultants?

Where have our tax dollars gone? What’s the root cause of the current financial mess? At worst, arguably the public school board no longer represents the broad needs of students.

• Second, what happens when the board slashes programs offering vital, if not critical, services to students, such as the international baccalaureate (IB) program?

Consider mental health issues that not only impact students with mental health concerns but all students in classrooms and often teachers. How many teachers have suffered physical attacks from students with emotional and mental problems?

Mental health issues may not only involve students but belligerent parents as well. How many teachers have been threatened by nasty parents?

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Some school classrooms conditions have become untenable. Many might be shocked at how little an average child is capable of learning today.

The learning bar continues to be lowered. Without necessary support services and programs for many already needy children it is difficult to imagine how much more the educational bar will need to be lowered as boards cut and the Education Ministry directs.

Teachers, who can’t have expectations about student performance or expect children to complete school work, often can’t even expect students to come to school as there are no consequences for truancy and absenteeism.

Ontario’s education ministry continues adding to curricula. Among other things, there is now also a focus on Indigenous learning, mental health, coding and financial literacy — all added to existing curricula.

How are teachers expected to be proficient in all subjects, as well as complex areas such as mental health, speech and special education?

Yet teachers are mandated to meet the needs of all students in classrooms. Often in overcrowded classrooms with diverse students, with perhaps half a class already requiring one-on-one teacher assistance.

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In what manner will the classroom addition of full-time special education students needs be met whilst teachers attend to the needs of all others? Indeed, apparently most students are not now receiving sufficient help, whether they have special needs or not.

In the foreseeable future simply ‘babysitting’ a crowded class of often unruly students who are essentially learning nothing, regardless of techniques teachers attempt, may prove to be the greatest educational challenge yet.

Behavioural issues are already running rampant. It appears that students and parents could already be running the show. Blaming teachers and schools when parents themselves have difficulty accepting accountability for their children’s learning is common.

I submit that many of our school administrators do little to prevent or remedy this burgeoning chaos. Is it possible they don’t know how to deal with the challenges, don’t want to be involved, have other priorities, or simply have too much on their agendas?

Truly capable educational administrators may be few and far between.

Teaching is no longer a preferred profession. Teaching has become far too uncertain and sometimes far too dangerous.

This is only going to get worse and the local public school board seems to be mired in uncertainty.

Lloyd Brown-John is a University of Windsor professor emeritus of political science and director of Canterbury ElderCollege. He can be reached at [email protected].

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