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6-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, January 131998 SCOMMENT Box 248, 191 Main St.E, Milton, Ont, 1,9T 4N9) (905) 878-2341 Fax: 876-2364 Classified: 875-3300 Publisher As.nciate Publisher General Manager Edittîr Circulation Manager Office Manaoger Proiductjin Manager Tiie Cadnai Champion. puilisite ttice weeinly at 191 Main St, E . Mlon Ont, L9T 4N9 fBoa 248). s one of The Metrojarol l'îiîtinq. Piîilisfiriq & Disibuhting Ltd. qioup f of uîbanicomîpa nies whiclt incudes: Aax / Pckering News Adveetisen; Alliston HeraidiCourier; Barrie Autance, Brampton Guaudian; Burington Past; City Panent; Cettlinemoati / Wasaga Cannectian, East Yarin Mirron: Etabicake Gaardian; Geagetown IndependenV/ Acter Frae Press; Kingston Tiis Weein: Lindsay Tiis Week; Mantittue Ecanamist & Sun; Midiand 1 IPenetanguisltene Mir;r Mississauga News; Newmanket / Arera Ena Banner; Northtumberland News: NantVenin Miron: Sakvitie Braser; Orilia Today; Osawa I/Wlltby 1 Clarington I Pot Penny Tiis Weein: Peterbtorougi This Week; Ricmeond HilI/Titornhil I Vaughan Libetal; ScarbotoghMinot: Uxbritige I Stouttoitie Triuone; Toiays Seniors. Adoertising ls accepteti on the condiStiotan.in te event et a typognapitical etrt, tit portion et the adoertisieg space occopîitd by te eroneous item. togetiter with a easonable aliesance for sgnatute, wiii rot lie cliargnni tor, but te balance of tint adoeisement wiii ie paid for ai te applicable rte. The poblishen esenves thte iit o categotize ailvetisemets on declinne One sehool board means fair system for everyone As recently reported in The Champion, the new Halton Catholic District School Board is taking the position that self- preservation is among its highest priorities. Board members justify this defense of the Catholic system I by saying the emphasis in the new board has shifted from managing education to its philosophical underpinnings. With that position it is evident that the new, smaller board lias again missed the point. The most important philosophical underpinning of educa- tion is its continuing viability to students, employers and those who foot the bill. education itself the new board empliasizes the fundamental nequality of Canada's twin educational systems. Standing on their soap box, Catholic educators -- unabashedly primarily concerned with preserving their system -- have invoked Canada's constitutional protection of their night to Catholice4çucation. There are two flaws in this argument. Firstly, constitutions can be amended or interpreted differently when sensibilities require. At one time the United States constitution sanctioned the ownership and trade of human beings. Secondly, the constitution itself guarantees equal rights for ail citizens, a position which is in direct conflict with special arrangements to fund Catholic scbools. Given that funding parallel educational systemns for every minority group would be impossible, the only equitable solu- tion is to remnove the special dispensation and funding for the -Catholic system. However, Catholic education can be preserved by reinter- preting the constitution in a fashion to require schools to pro- vide specific ethics education. Students would be required to select and study a specific ethical system. Schools would be required to provide a general philosophy-ethics class for those with no strong attachment to any specific religious system, In the end only one public system of education should be funded by public money. Period. The current parallel systemn is morally wrong because there are legitimate religious groups, sucli as Jews, Muslims and Buddhists that are not funded. Criticism that somne groups have preferential treatment in the hands of the law is entirely valid and not likely to stand a constitutional challenge. Catholic education, with the single difference of time each day for Catholic religious teaching, is virtually indistinguish- able from its public counterpart. Philosophy-ethics education should be provided to ail students as a required course. This should be the future of education in Canada. It is morally just, ethically defensible and provides a higher stan- dard of quality education to aIl for an affordable price. Brad Reaume J4 KE WALO IAM Çà ck j w4s [ THE EAGLE HAS LANDEDJ SOUR READERS WRITE Reader telis off driver Dear Editor: This letter goes out to the insensitive bout in the small pick-up truck that blatantly and purposely ian over ic dog behind my school bus in front of a caring friend on thc momning of January 6 at 7:55 a.m. Was it road rage or simply Uic thrill that caused you to race up behind Uic dog without as much as a brake light. 1 hope that you can justify in your mind why, as you left a family devastated and missing a beloved pet. As for me, 1 have to deal with drivers like you through- out the achool year making sure Uiat it's not childoen Uiat get mun over. You had no business going Uiat fast anyway, since I had juat tumned my warning ights off. My faiUi in humanity is a littie less now. My only consolation is Uiat thc happy-go-lucky pointer that you hit didn't know what hit him. I hope that you feel immense satisfaction. media educational and community action events created by people who are chtoosing non-violence as a way of life. These events wil be a commemoration of the 5Oth and 30th anniversaries of ic assassinations of M. Ghandi and Martin Luther King Jr. 1 arn one who chooses non-violence as a way of lîfe and there are many of us in Milton. Please spare us photos of our youth wrestling, such as you choose to show. Let's focus instead on Uic positive lives and legacies of Ghandi and Dr. King and Uic inspiration created. Let's make 1998 a season for non-violence, leading up to the 23 Nobel Peace Prize candidates who are asking Uic United Nations General Assembly to declare the new mil- lenniumn as 'Th decade for a culture of non violence.' We can begin to create and celebrate Uis culture night here in Milton now wiUi your help. Jody Jewett Can't tflank you enougii I nidIaw Transit Wrestling photos too violent Dear Editor: Your sports page is undoubtedly popular. However, your readers were exposed to photos of young Milton wrestlers on two occasions just before Christmas, which I found dis- tasteful. January 1998 begins a 64-day world-wîde campaign of E. KiddIe Milton Dear editor: Halton Adolescent Support Services would like to thank everyone who contributed to making the second annual Tomorrow's Gift Auction on November 13 a success. Thanks to the caring community, over $18,000 was raised. Your support helps build a brighter future and con- tinues the investment in today's youth. Lynda Cale, fundralslng co-ordinator Halton Adolescent Support Services Pud by Steve Nease Ian Oliver Neil Oliver David Boa Rob Kelly Karen Huisman Teri Casas Tam Coles -I 1