害羞草研究所淥ne-quarter of Kelowna elementary students 害羞草研究所榖elow expectations害羞草研究所�,害羞草研究所� a headline recently read.

As a parent, and as a lawyer, I confess that I am puzzled by the prominence given in the media to these 害羞草研究所渞ankings害羞草研究所�, year after year.

Would the Fraser Institute害羞草研究所檚 ranking of schools be admissible in court for the purpose of proving the validity of the rankings?

Probably not.

It may be admissible for other purposes, though.

They are not reliable. They reveal an opinion. They say little if anything about the quality of education provided.

The Institute害羞草研究所檚 website demonstrates an interest in 害羞草研究所渆ducation policy.害羞草研究所� Articles are posted on its website include: 害羞草研究所淐anadian families may soon benefit from U.S. education reform害羞草研究所�, 害羞草研究所淢ore spending doesn害羞草研究所檛 equal better results in government-run schools害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淩eality check害羞草研究所攕maller high school classes don害羞草研究所檛 improve student performance害羞草研究所�.

害羞草研究所淏.C. education system performing well while holding the line on spending.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淨uebec and B.C. spend less on education than other provinces害羞草研究所攚hile outperforming most provinces.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淪tudent performance does not reflect education spending hikes in Alberta.害羞草研究所�

It now also produces a 害羞草研究所渞eport害羞草研究所� on 害羞草研究所淓ducation Spending in Public Schools in Canada.害羞草研究所�

The Fraser Institute supports large class sizes. It also supports massive cuts to public education.

Every year, private schools dominate its top 害羞草研究所渞ankings.害羞草研究所�

But curiously, its ranking formulas are not disclosed.

The lack of transparency alone makes the results questionable at best.

Garbage in, garbage out.

Income is one factor that the Fraser Institute considers in formulating its rankings.

Clearly those of limited means do not generally attend private schools. They cannot afford it.

Of course, income level has nothing to do with a child害羞草研究所檚 intelligence.

Years ago, a small local public school in Calgary which was largely unknown, Holy Name school, was 害羞草研究所渞anked害羞草研究所� for many years below 200th place.

Then, school boundaries were re-drawn. The new boundary included a wealthy area up the hill. Immediately, this school害羞草研究所檚 ratings shot up to 59th in the province. It became one of the most highly ranked schools within the province, most recently 10th in the province.

Adding wealthy neighbourhoods does wonders for one害羞草研究所檚 ranking!

There is every reason to believe that income is an important, and maybe even a primary, factor in the undisclosed formula.

Is the intention of the 害羞草研究所渞eport on schools害羞草研究所� to encourage increased enrolment in private schools? Is the idea that fewer children in public schools means less government funding and therefore lower taxes for the Institute害羞草研究所檚 wealthy donors?

The Institute is privately owned.

Donors have included Exxon-Mobil, the Koch brothers and the Weston Family Foundation.

have that prominent billionaires associated with the American oil industry donate regularly to the Fraser institute.

Here in Canada, we do have oil. We do have pipelines. We do tax oil companies, a share of which goes to public education.

A in The New Yorker stated that certain of these individuals:

害羞草研究所� are longtime libertarians who believe in drastically lower personal and corporate taxes, minimal social services for the needy, and much less oversight of industry 害羞草研究所� especially environmental regulation. These views dovetail with the brothers害羞草研究所� corporate interests. 害羞草研究所�

Fortunately, our laws have some fundamental differences from American law. These laws protect our public institutions.

Is the intent to eventually erode our public system of education, by encouraging an en masse movement into private schools?

If so, it may be working, particularly in B.C., which has been to have lowest percentage of children in public schools.

Encouraging enrolment in 害羞草研究所渉ighly rated害羞草研究所� private schools may have far reaching implications for students, families, our public educational system and Canadian society.

Whether or not public schools are 害羞草研究所渂elow expectations害羞草研究所� must be determined based on a transparent and reliable methodology. Not by private criteria established by a private organization whose interests may not align with those of parents or children.

Even if it were true that public schools are 害羞草研究所渇alling behind,害羞草研究所� that only reinforces how critical it is that our public educational systems be adequately funded.

Against this background, it is not surprising that the B.C. Teachers害羞草研究所� Federation 害羞草研究所渂辞驳耻蝉.害羞草研究所�

Parents, when considering which schools your children will attend, seek out reliable information.

Will a school, school board, teachers or parents one day commence an action against the Fraser Institute for encouraging parents to enroll their children in 害羞草研究所渉ighly rated害羞草研究所� private schools, based on the questionable assessments that underlie its 害羞草研究所渞eport on schools害羞草研究所�? In such a proceeding, various interesting information including the formula may be relevant and subject to being publicly disclosed.

In case you missed it?

About Susan Kootnekoff:

Susan Kootnekoff is the founder of Inspire Law, an Okanagan based-law practice. She has been practicing law since 1994, with brief stints away to begin raising children.

Susan has experience in many areas of law, but is most drawn to areas in which she can make a positive difference in people害羞草研究所檚 lives, including employment law.

She has been a member of the Law Society of Alberta since 1994 and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia since 2015. Susan grew up in Saskatchewan. Her parents were both entrepreneurs, and her father was also a union leader who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of workers. Before moving to B.C., Susan practiced law in both Calgary and Fort McMurray, Alta.

Living and practicing law in Fort McMurray made a lasting impression on Susan. It was in this isolated and unique community that her interest in employment law, and Canada害羞草研究所檚 oil sands industry, took hold. In 2013,

Susan moved to the Okanagan with her family, where she currently resides.

To report a typo, email:
newstips@kelownacapnews.com.

newstips@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .