The Importance of Diversity in Education

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I worked within an Independent School System for 10 years. As I contemplated the idea of working towards my Master’s in Education I brought with me the idea of diversity in education and why facilitating different school systems is vital to a healthy society. “Not every youngster gets along well in the public school system.” (Cunningham, 171) said Pat McGeer of the Ministry of Education publication Education Today. This very statement was a cry from thousands of families throughout the province of British Columbia in the 1960s. (Sullivan, 1988) My argument for this paper is that for governments to be ethical and moral agents they must hear the voices of their constituents, even if they are a few; and then respond equitably and with fairness. This equity and fairness includes policies ensuring their legitimacy and funding to facilitate their diversity. This idea then led me to the whole debate of whether parents should have the choice between public and independent education.

This debate primarily came into existence with “The Independent Schools Support Act in 1977” (Sullivan, 1988); although historically the idea of funding two systems can be “traced as far back as the colonial era of British Columbia…”(Sullivan, 1988). For the purpose of this essay, I want to explore how government’s equitable treatment of constituents lends itself to “good” government. From my perspective, the growth of the Independent School system has come out of the willingness by government to recognize and provide funding, thus giving parents the choice.

“Accessibility and choice” (Sullivan, 1988) in education are interconnected and without either one, schools struggle to remain a viable option. It wasn’t until the Royal Commission in 1987 th...

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...rt K. (1977). Servant Leadership. In Larry C. Spears & Robert K.

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The Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness (87-95). New York: Paulist Press.

Maxwell, John C. (1993). Developing The Leader Within You. Nashville: Thomas

Nelson Publishers.

Saul, John Ralston. (2008). A Fair Country: Telling Truths About Canada. New York:

Penguin Group.

Sullivan, Barty M. (1988). Royal Commission – Extract on Independent Schools.

Federation of Independent School Associations. 8.C.2.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Yukl, Gary. (2010). Leadership in Organizations (7th Ed.) New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

(2001, January). A Luxury the People of BC Cannot Afford: A CUPE BC Backgrounder

on Independent Schools.

(2007, September 17) Ontario Votes 2007. Faith-based schools.

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