91裸聊视频淥ne-quarter of Kelowna elementary students 91裸聊视频榖elow expectations91裸聊视频�,91裸聊视频� a headline recently read.

As a parent, and as a lawyer, I confess that I am puzzled by the prominence given in the media to these 91裸聊视频渞ankings91裸聊视频�, year after year.

Would the Fraser Institute91裸聊视频檚 ranking of schools be admissible in court for the purpose of proving the validity of the rankings?

Probably not.

It may be admissible for other purposes, though.

They are not reliable. They reveal an opinion. They say little if anything about the quality of education provided.

The Institute91裸聊视频檚 website demonstrates an interest in 91裸聊视频渆ducation policy.91裸聊视频� Articles are posted on its website include: 91裸聊视频淐anadian families may soon benefit from U.S. education reform91裸聊视频�, 91裸聊视频淢ore spending doesn91裸聊视频檛 equal better results in government-run schools91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淩eality check91裸聊视频攕maller high school classes don91裸聊视频檛 improve student performance91裸聊视频�.

91裸聊视频淏.C. education system performing well while holding the line on spending.91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淨uebec and B.C. spend less on education than other provinces91裸聊视频攚hile outperforming most provinces.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淪tudent performance does not reflect education spending hikes in Alberta.91裸聊视频�

It now also produces a 91裸聊视频渞eport91裸聊视频� on 91裸聊视频淓ducation Spending in Public Schools in Canada.91裸聊视频�

The Fraser Institute supports large class sizes. It also supports massive cuts to public education.

Every year, private schools dominate its top 91裸聊视频渞ankings.91裸聊视频�

But curiously, its ranking formulas are not disclosed.

The lack of transparency alone makes the results questionable at best.

Garbage in, garbage out.

Income is one factor that the Fraser Institute considers in formulating its rankings.

Clearly those of limited means do not generally attend private schools. They cannot afford it.

Of course, income level has nothing to do with a child91裸聊视频檚 intelligence.

Years ago, a small local public school in Calgary which was largely unknown, Holy Name school, was 91裸聊视频渞anked91裸聊视频� for many years below 200th place.

Then, school boundaries were re-drawn. The new boundary included a wealthy area up the hill. Immediately, this school91裸聊视频檚 ratings shot up to 59th in the province. It became one of the most highly ranked schools within the province, most recently 10th in the province.

Adding wealthy neighbourhoods does wonders for one91裸聊视频檚 ranking!

There is every reason to believe that income is an important, and maybe even a primary, factor in the undisclosed formula.

Is the intention of the 91裸聊视频渞eport on schools91裸聊视频� to encourage increased enrolment in private schools? Is the idea that fewer children in public schools means less government funding and therefore lower taxes for the Institute91裸聊视频檚 wealthy donors?

The Institute is privately owned.

Donors have included Exxon-Mobil, the Koch brothers and the Weston Family Foundation.

have that prominent billionaires associated with the American oil industry donate regularly to the Fraser institute.

Here in Canada, we do have oil. We do have pipelines. We do tax oil companies, a share of which goes to public education.

A in The New Yorker stated that certain of these individuals:

91裸聊视频� are longtime libertarians who believe in drastically lower personal and corporate taxes, minimal social services for the needy, and much less oversight of industry 91裸聊视频� especially environmental regulation. These views dovetail with the brothers91裸聊视频� corporate interests. 91裸聊视频�

Fortunately, our laws have some fundamental differences from American law. These laws protect our public institutions.

Is the intent to eventually erode our public system of education, by encouraging an en masse movement into private schools?

If so, it may be working, particularly in B.C., which has been to have lowest percentage of children in public schools.

Encouraging enrolment in 91裸聊视频渉ighly rated91裸聊视频� private schools may have far reaching implications for students, families, our public educational system and Canadian society.

Whether or not public schools are 91裸聊视频渂elow expectations91裸聊视频� must be determined based on a transparent and reliable methodology. Not by private criteria established by a private organization whose interests may not align with those of parents or children.

Even if it were true that public schools are 91裸聊视频渇alling behind,91裸聊视频� that only reinforces how critical it is that our public educational systems be adequately funded.

Against this background, it is not surprising that the B.C. Teachers91裸聊视频� Federation 91裸聊视频渂辞驳耻蝉.91裸聊视频�

Parents, when considering which schools your children will attend, seek out reliable information.

Will a school, school board, teachers or parents one day commence an action against the Fraser Institute for encouraging parents to enroll their children in 91裸聊视频渉ighly rated91裸聊视频� private schools, based on the questionable assessments that underlie its 91裸聊视频渞eport on schools91裸聊视频�? In such a proceeding, various interesting information including the formula may be relevant and subject to being publicly disclosed.

In case you missed it?

About Susan Kootnekoff:

Susan Kootnekoff is the founder of Inspire Law, an Okanagan based-law practice. She has been practicing law since 1994, with brief stints away to begin raising children.

Susan has experience in many areas of law, but is most drawn to areas in which she can make a positive difference in people91裸聊视频檚 lives, including employment law.

She has been a member of the Law Society of Alberta since 1994 and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia since 2015. Susan grew up in Saskatchewan. Her parents were both entrepreneurs, and her father was also a union leader who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of workers. Before moving to B.C., Susan practiced law in both Calgary and Fort McMurray, Alta.

Living and practicing law in Fort McMurray made a lasting impression on Susan. It was in this isolated and unique community that her interest in employment law, and Canada91裸聊视频檚 oil sands industry, took hold. In 2013,

Susan moved to the Okanagan with her family, where she currently resides.

To report a typo, email:
newstips@kelownacapnews.com.

newstips@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .