A series of meetings allowing Quebecers to discuss what is “wrong” in the education system will be organized in the spring by citizen organizations that defend public schools. “Let’s talk about education” thus wishes to overcome “governmental inertia”.
Over the next few months, the “Let’s talk about education” project intends to conduct a tour of Quebec during which citizens will be invited to express their views on various issues affecting the education sector. The official launch will take place on Tuesday.
The initiative is the result of four movements: Stand up for school!, School together, I protect my public school and the Movement for a modern and open school. In recent years, everyone has taken a public stand on education, sometimes denouncing budget cuts, dilapidated schools or asking that the government stop funding private schools.
“We find that there are an incredible number of problems in the public education network and that there has been government inertia for a very long time. We passed 16 Ministers of Education in 20 years for such an important service. It’s not going well at all,” says Jean Trudelle, coordinator of Parlons éducation.
Hence the idea of inviting Quebecers to talk about it by holding “citizens’ estates general”, says Mr. Trudelle.
Among the subjects that could be discussed, he cites the “school market that has been created and that we have allowed to grow for 20 years”, which includes the network of private schools, but also the specific programs of public schools, which select often the best students.
“It impoverishes so much the school that we say” ordinary “, it makes the task of teachers thankless, even impossible, and we move away from social diversity”, says Jean Trudelle, who has already chaired the National Federation of Quebec teachers (FNEEQ).
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
The coordinator of the Parlons éducation movement and former president of the National Federation of Quebec Teachers (FNEEQ), Jean Trudelle
Among the other themes on which we could look, he also cites the large number of students with difficulties in regular classes and the quality of French among Quebec students.
“Having taught at CEGEP, I saw it: the students arrive with a deplorable mastery. This is serious in a society, because it guarantees a form of democracy: citizens must be able to read and understand what is happening,” says Mr. Trudelle.
Young people will discuss a “vision” of public school
It is also planned to involve young people in a series of discussions and activities, the details of which will be unveiled at a press conference on Tuesday.
“We have a vision that is really clear for young people,” says Dalie Lauzon-Vallières, one of the spokespersons for the youth component of Parlons éducation. In recent years, the 25-year-old young woman has been involved in student mobilizations in the environment. Young people, she says, have “school justice” at heart.
We feel that young people who work in private or public circles are very aware of the inequalities of the three-tier system. We might be surprised to see a youth mobilization that has equity at school at heart.
Dalie Lauzon-Vallières, youth spokesperson for the Parlons éducation movement
School democracy could also be on the agenda for discussion. “How to allow young people to have a voice, a little more room to make decisions about the school system and prepare them to be citizens in a democratic society”, she illustrates.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Youth spokesperson for the Parlons éducation movement, Dalie Lauzon-Vallières
The idea of Parlons éducation is to put all these subjects “in the public square and to meet people,” says Jean Trudelle. “We don’t present ourselves as neutral people, we present a vision of things,” he adds.
Shouldn’t this initiative come from Quebec, like the Estates General Commission on Education held in 1995?
“It would be up to the government to do that, but they’re not going to do it,” believes the Let’s Talk Education coordinator.
“We do not feel this desire to reflect on the future of Quebec schools. However, since 1995, there have been considerable social changes, expectations are no longer the same, needs are no longer the same,” observes Mr. Trudelle.
Details of the Let’s Talk Education Quebec tour will be released on Tuesday.