Record Breaking Number of Schools to Close

Due to economic problems within the government, after the controversial closing of many public pools, Toronto School Board is faced with the challenge of having to close a whopping nine public schools this year, which has never before happened. These schools, of all the ones across Canada, are more than likely facing the axe because of lack of usage, even though one school, Kent Senior Public, once had the larget student body in Ontario. Strangely enough, the school board's decision to close these schools is not a government decision, but that of people, who felt funding for half empty schools was appauling. Parents in ten different neighbourhoods conclude that there are 110 half empty schools around Ontario, and that list has been lowered to 55 schools that could be abolished. Most schools that are closing are Junior Highs, so any schools that end at Grade 6 will now be forced to accomodate grades 7 and 8, or face being shut down. Hopefully this issue sorts itself out, and that too many students don't face issues if their school shuts down.

I would say that it is important to use government spending properly, but considering we have fundeed many other projects of equal or less importance, I think this is a little bit odd. Students in impoverished areas, like the poorest area in Scarborough and their school, Pringdale Gardens, are going to face major issues if their school closes. I really hope the government knows what they are doing, because money right now doesn't mean anything if the people of the future cannot receive a proper education. The original article can be found here.

Fifteen Year Old's Murder Trial Begins

Two twenty year old men are just about to be tried for the horrible crime they commit as seventeen year old boys, the murder of fifteen year old Jordan Manners. The homicide occured in the middle of the hallway at C.W Jeffrey's Collegiate, where the two culprits got away without identification, after shooting the boy several times. Due to the age of the culprits at the time of the crime, they will remain anonymous, but within four days, one guilty man was found during an investigation, and the second turned himself in, shortly after his accomplice was caught. Toronto District School Board has now released an 1000 page report following this, which will be followed by taking serious action against all sorts of sexual harassment and violence that go unreported, which happens far too often in these schools. More resources and a phone hotline are ideas of things that should be provided for the predicted 250,000 kids who go to these schools in fear. His funeral recalled the boy as being a fun loving and honest young man, and his memory will now help to clean up the bad situations in these schools.

I definitlely think this is a horrific crime, and that these two culprits should be trialed as aduts, as a seventeen year old should most certainly know that murdering people in the middle of a school hallway isn't the best idea. I do think, though, that these environments are very hard on young men, who need stimulation through means of creative or active extracurricular activities, rather than find their fun in gang culture. The school board is not going about fixing this the right way, as troubled men are not likely to call a hotline, but to take a support disguised as a fun activity. I really think that the other problem is that these young men were able to get into school carrying two handguns, and that the security in these rougher areas should be stricter. But as you saw in my previous entry, random acts of violence and vandalism can occur at absolutely any school. Overall, I offer my sincere condolences to the young man whose life was taken away far too early.