Amazing Grace

I work for the Ministry of Education in the Government of Ontario. Whenever I'm looking for inspiration, I don't need to look very far - and yet, whatever the government does, it never seems to be enough. We love to complain.

Our new Deputy Minister of Education, Mr. Steve Marshall, is trying to change the view of Ontarians about our publicly funded education system. The investments made over the last 5-6 years have been incredible and he encourages every public servant (but especially those who work in Education) to remember that they work to service the public - *important* and *valuable* work.

"When people ask you what you do for a living," he emphasized, "tell them you're at the service of every learner in Ontario, and then go into what it is that you do. Be proud of your work."

In this world, every child has the right to:
1) be themselves (whether that be an aboriginal student, french-speaking, english-speaking, immigrant, gay, straight, deaf, paralyzed, ill, etc.)

2) be educated

Whether or not the right to be educated should be publicly funded could be up for debate, but I'm proud and happy to be living in a province where the diversity of our population and their needs are taken into consideration and funded by my tax dollars.

Once I started working for the government, I started paying my taxes with pride.

I wanted to share this website, from the E.C.Drury Secondary School for the Deaf. They produce a morning show "Morning Annoucements" that is broadcast on cable TV and in each classroom in the morning. Totally student produced.

I am so impressed by the dedication of these teachers and the staff of these schools who insist: These kids are worth teaching, they have the right to learn and they have the right to be themselves. Because who they are is amazing and radiant - just like every child, from age 0 to 120.

I can't imagine not being able to hear or see. I hope I never know what deafness or blindness is like and it makes me wonder what kind of damage I've done when I come out of a very loud nightclub. I love my hearing and I am so grateful to optometry for my sight.

More on the Ministry of Education:
Our amazing Minister: The Honorable Kathleen Wynne (she deserves her own seperate blog post!)

Energizing Ontario Education: sets goals and talks to the initiatives currently in place to make Ontario's education system strong and productive. There's a summary available for those who kind-of have time to read it.

We need more than ever to look at the public education system as the primary tool we have to ensure that children are able to grow up to become citizens.
JOHN RALSTON SAUL