Early Childhood education debate

[William Ashley]

http://www.parl.gc.ca/40/2/parlbus/chambus/senate/deb-E/083db_2009-12-15-e.htm?Language=E&Parl=40&Ses=2#2

It was one of the last things in the chamber hansard, and it appears that Ontario Preimer McGuinty (not to be confused with his MP brother, and his majority government have started to implement full day kindergarten

http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/01/11/12426446.html

Is ECE dead in the water, or is it something Canadians want?

BTW are Canadians still getting that cheque if they have kids to partially fund baby sitting or other spending rather than ECE? I know when ECE was scrapped by the cons when they got their first minority they paid people off, are they still paying people off for not having this service?

Edited January 22, 2010 by William Ashley

[bjre]

It is nice to know kids will spend more time to receive education.

However, it will be better to have better teachers than take more time in class.

Some kids just have no homework at grade 1 and 2 while others have.

Some kids just need not to learn in school only if they don't disturb others.

Some kids just can answer nothing meaningful when you ask what they learn in school.

Some teachers just bully kids by don't allow kids take gym class instead of take time to help kids understand what is better way and better attitude to solve problems.

The teachers can go strike that show kids what is called selfish.

I am not sure what role the Teacher's Union take in all this things.

I think if the above problems can be solved, that would be much better than spend more money to make kids sit in classrooms more.

Edited January 23, 2010 by bjre

[August1991]

Is ECE dead in the water, or is it something Canadians want?

First of all, this is not a federal or "Canadian" issue. As you point out in the OP, it was the provincial Ontario government that adopted the policy.

In Quebec, there is so-called $7 per day care for all pre-school children - starting at birth. In fact, the care costs about $40 per day but parents only pay $7. The rest is paid by taxpayers. To adopt this policy, all other child care subsidies were eliminated. Moreover, there are long waiting lists to get into one of these State-subsidized day cares. As the joke goes, a mother has to get a spot on the waiting list before the child is a glint in the father's eye. In practice, this means that well-connected parents who undertsand the system can find a subsidized place. (This is similar to our health system where it is helpful to have a family member/close friend working in the health bureaucracy and understands how the system works.)

Should the State raise our children?

I'll ignore that fundamental question and consider what happens when a government tries to have universal daycare. You get queues and in effect a subsidy paid by poorer parents where one parent stays at home to rich parents where both spouses work. Is that fair?

BTW, Quebec day care workers are not (yet) unionized.

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IMV, the State should not worry about children in "good" families. These families, poor or rich, can cope and raise their children well. These children will grow up to be good citizens. A discussion of the State role in the education of all older children and teenagers is long overdue. Maybe one day we will have it.

OTOH, the State (or someone) must protect children in "bad" families. I was horrified when I read this story of the two young children who froze to death. We had a thread here about children who have died in supposedly State-protected care.

In simple terms, we don't need State-subsidized Early Childhood education for all. But certain children need desperately protection and care.

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From the OP link:

Hon. Art Eggleton: Honourable senators, I rise today to make a statement on the government's response to the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology report, Early Childhood Education and Care: Next Steps, which was adopted by the Senate on June 22, 2009.

Honourable senators, I am disappointed that the government did not implement the recommendations in our report. The government does not want to appoint a minister of state for children and youth, even though we have a Minister of State for Seniors and even though it would send a clear signal that Canada understands the importance of young people to its future.

The government does not want to have a permanent national advisory council on children to draw on the best minds from across the country on how best to support parents and children.

Trust a party hack Senate appointment to deliver a partisan speech. I should've known better.

This isn't about child care. This is about "Pee Wee Harper".

Edited January 23, 2010 by August1991

[Moonlight Graham]

Having the state let virtually all parents have free daycare is an absolute joke. It encourages both parents to work and not raise their kids. It also conveniently fills the politicians coffers with more tax revenue as more parents can work.

Dear Canada, RAISE YOUR DAMN KIDS. I know some people honestly can't afford to have one parent stay at home, or and there are always single parents out there. But i think the general idea the CPC had was a good one. Let parents decide what they want to do with the money the state gives them in regards to caring for their children (Have a stay at home parent, a nanny, or put kid in childcare etc.)

I honestly think its quite sick in our society that a couple with a kid would be willing to both work & send their kid to daycare everyday before school age. A half day of pre-school (ages 3-5) is fine for kids who actually benefit from it (the more social, independent children), but other than that i don't believe in daycare unless there are special circumstances as i've said above (single parents, one parent may be seriously ill etc.)

Before the women's revolution in 1960's, one parent stayed home with the kids and the other worked and families did fine financially. Now we have both parents working, & household income has gone up...yet standard of living & prices of goods/services have also gone up as a result. Families aren't doing much better if at all financially than they were pre-1960's.

Society is really f'ed up if you ask me.