As a school taxpayer of taxes that go to the Lester B. Pearson School Board, and as a regular attendee and contributor of ideas at the board meetings (webcasting, defibrillators, student ombudsman....) for 11 years, these are my thoughts concerning this last paragraph from Le Devoir article: "Classes surchargées: des solutions avant le printemps."

C'est le cas notamment de la commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys, qui a aussi demandé à pouvoir utiliser les locaux vides des écoles Spring Garden (Dollard-des-Ormeaux) et Terry Fox (Pierrefonds) appartenant à la commission scolaire Lester B. Pearson pour pouvoir accommoder les nombreux élèves francophones de l'ouest de l'île.

The LBPSB should sell their two schools to the CSMB and invest all monies into Pearson classrooms.

Some ideas:

1. Supply all classes with world maps. Geographically-speaking many of us are ignorant.

2. Consider this note from the September 2010, LBPSB Central Parents Committee Report:

"Investigate and request further information from schools and School Board as to why the cost of school expenditures (fees, agendas) keeps increasing beyond the rate of inflation?"

Back to a November 1999 document from the former Minister of Education François Legault titled: "Fees Charged To Parents - Guidelines."

Here are some excerpts from the document which is available on the Pearson board site:

"After much discussion on free education..." and ..."it will then deal with practices that infringe on the right to free education..." and "...free education between the ages of 5 and 18..."

Therefore, I suggest:

A. Put all monies taken from government funded classes for the board's Pre-K 4-year old - BACK. That's about one million dollars...

B. It is no secret the English school boards are in dire need of students.

Time for innovation: The money from the sale go toward the elimination of school fees starting September 2011.

Merci, Le Devoir


Chris Eustace - (ceustace@videotr