Editor:
I feel I need to comment on the letter to the editor of Mona Muller on Feb. 6, 2019. Far from the idyllic picture that Ms. Muller painted of residential schools, children were forcibly taken from their parents to residential schools, often miles from their homes. In some cases, children were unable to see their parents for months or years at a time. Many children ran away from these schools to return to their families, some travelling for miles through the bush to return to their families.
One-room schools, on the other hand, enabled children to live at home, close to their school. Many seniors here experienced their early education in these schools and many went on to secondary schools and university. Contrary to Ms. Muller’s opinion, eight grades in a classroom enabled children to develop skills at a pace suited to the individual’s needs. With the advance of technology, it became necessary to bus children into larger schools where different curricula were available.
As for Ms. Muller’s complaint that her children had to be instructed in English and not their Eastern European language. We have immigrants from all over the world. English and French are Canada’s official languages and public schools provide instruction in them. Imagine the expense and organizational mayhem if all immigrants were to receive education in their country of origin.
Finally, First Nations are the original inhabitants of this country. It was theirs for thousands of years. The benefits they receive have been gained by treaty in compensation for the peaceful ceding of their land . Small payment for our right to live on and own our piece of it.
I understand Ms. Muller’s frustration. $7200 a year from social services on which to live is far from enough. No one should have to live at the poverty level in our country. But pointing the finger at another group of citizens isn’t the answer.
Pat Gooding
