6 ~ Wednesday, June 3, 1998 — North Shore News

URPRISE: unionized teachers are

opposed to the latest proposal

from parents for a back-to-basics school.

The battle ground this time is in Vancouver, but it could be anywhere in B.C. where there is a perceived threat to the monopoly of the public school _system.

According to news reports, approxi- mately 4,000 parents have signed a petition in support of the proposed school in Vancouver.

The school would emphasize such education basics as reading, writing and arithmetic; it would also focus on such under-emphasized areas as atti- tude and behavior. Its promoters are after a more structured, competitive, disciplined school environment. They want effort rewarded; they don’t want

north shore news

VIEWPOINT

ice education

Buz the education monopoly is dead set against the wishes of parents. No matter how reasonable those wishes and aspirations are.

Opposition revolves around such fuzzy issues as wearing uniforms — promotion of conformity —- the arranzing of desks in rows — too com- petitive for children — and _teacher- directed instruction — sounds like too much work,

The opposition might be valid in the minds of some parents and educators, but it will be invalid in the minds of others. And a traditional back-to-basics school might be valid in the minds of some parents and educators, but like- wise invalid in the minds of others.

The issue is choice: parents in Vancouver and the rest of B.C. need more of it when it comes to their chil-

rmnensr | evegpit

NESEEN” | ICANT BELIEVE RATT

HARASSED. 7 HEARING! [WHAT

HAPPENED TO MILTARY DISCIPLINES

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mediocrity cultivated and promoted.

mcmiibox

Letter larded with drivel about Doug

Dear Editor: Most of the mail box letters start with “I would like ro ‘ respond to.” | would like to say that I would not like to respond to Peter B. Raabe’s May 27 letter.

Unfortunately, most often when we read this kind of dri-

_ Vel, we tend to roll our eyes, sigh, and say “here goes anoth- er one.”

‘The danger is, however, that good old Doug Collins will not stand up and give this gobblygook a black eye. And, no wonder, because Mr, Collins knows perhaps better than most of us the futility of this.

God knows how hard he has tried to make the Raabes understand over the years. In his letter, this Raabe is com- paring a replica gun to a written document.

Banks and stores have been robbed using these plastic guns. When was the last time Royal Bank was robbed when somebody stuck a book under the teller’s nose?

“Ifyou have not noticed that there is a big difference here, please go back to university and take a course in common ‘sense. Do you for a second believe that some punk, desper- ately in need of cigarettes, will succeed in using “your hate letter” when threatening the 7-Eleven clerk to give him/her a pack of smokes? Give the same person a replica gun, and I would believe it.

Stop being stupid, you are a bore!

Andy Lie anbjorn@uniserve.com North Vancouver

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—— Preston

dren’s education.

THERE’S a silly story about a drunken window cleaner who fell off New York’s Empire State Building. As he passed a 39th floor window, he was heard to shout: “So far, so good!”

Reform leader Preston Manning could be in a roughly similar situation following his victory at last weekend’s Reform Party assembly in London, Ont. Now comes the tough part.

The 1,300 delegates confirmed his leadership with a diminished 80.9% confidence vote, while endorsing his United Alternative plan — for which he’d laid his leadership on the line — with an unexpected 91% majority.

Unexpected, because of the rough ride the proposal had had from cantan- kerous delegates in earlier workshop ses- sions.

Explaining the United Alternative in clear, simple terms is somewhat akin to trying to unscramble an egg.

With Reform lagging in the polls at a dismal 16% nationwide, and without a single MP east of Manitoba, many see the plan as simply an elaborate recruit- ing campaign aimed primarily at winning new members from among the currently leaderless Tories. The key target for such an endeavor being, of course, Gntario, where vote-splitting betwee Reformers and Jean Charest’s Progressive : Conservatives gave the Liberals every

PETER SPESK Publisher 985-2131 (101)

p

Torry Faters Photography Manager

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te

Camptrolier 985-2131 (133)

Stopherson Classified Manager 986-6222 (292) Entire contents © 1997 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved. peck, from. 1139, Lonsdate Avenue Noth Vancouver,:B C5 M7

PaeNES eee ae eRe eee ee ore ee ey W3e

grasps a new nett

seat except one in the 1997 election. Manning insists, however, that his

United Alternative concept is something

far bigger and nobler. He sees it as a

Retorm-led effort to forge a “coalition” of all fiscal and social (small *e*) conserva- tives in order, at the next election, to defeat the Liberals who've ruled Canada for 67 of the past 98 years. But it’s the precise

. meaning of the word “coalition” that has many observers puz- zled and more than a few grass-roots Reformers still con-

hither and yon

cerned.

Hence the vote last Saturday autho- rizing a special Reform-led assembly later this year to bring like-minded “oth- ers” rogether to work out a practical plan for beating the Grits. Meanwhile, Manning has clarified at least one thing the new political animal — if ever born -- would NOT mean.

It would never compromise Reform’s fundamental principles of fiscal and social responsibility, democratic account- abilicy and a strengthened, balanced ted- eration.

Aside from that vow, all right-of-cen- tre options remain open — possibly including even the launching of an entirely new party, provided it incorpo- rated Reform’s four sacred policy cows noted above.

A straight merger with the Conservatives scems unlikely, given the hostility towards Reform of both front

WOON TS Cope sT- DI tor wenn PRESS ion If acto

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THE PAST SIX MONTHS, I'VE BEEN SEXUALLY HARASSED... SIRE

runners for the Tory leadership, Joe Clark and Hugh Segal.

As well, with a $500,000 year-end surplus, Reformers could be leery of enranglement in the Tories’ current.S10 million debt.

Amid all the ifs, but’s and maybe’s emerging from last weekend's assembly . one truth is crystal elcar. ‘

Despite Preston Manning's impres- sive political achievement in wet-nursing his new party from conception 11 years. ago, through adolescent growing pains to its coming-of-age as Canada’s official: :’- opposition, Reform has now stalled as a °° western regional group — shut out from *. Canada’s Ontario powerhouse and. | everywhere cast. Shock action is needed. © > to jolt its national heartbeat. ‘ :

Vague as many details remain, ; Manning’s United Alternative — intro: °-

duced in what was arguably his best-ever |! -speech — clearly points the general.) 2°) =:

direction in which Reform must now | > move, strongly and swiftly, if its policies © are ever to govern Canada.

The dangers are considerable. But as its remarkable leader knows in grasping this new nettle, the dangers of doing nothing are far greater.

O04 ao MANY HAPPY returns of Friday, June - * * 5, to West Van birthday girl Edna : Morse, the best bridge teacher who’s. ever suffered‘me ... And happy 59th |. birthday that same day.to former prime .".. : minister Joe Clark, as he nulls a come- back with increasing enthusiasm.

000 a WRIGHT OR WRONG: The first rule for those who love tinkering: save all the

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