SUPPORT OR CONFRONT? ORGANIZING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN P.E.I.
Abstract
One thing far from settled in public education systems is the role parents and citizens may play in decisions taken in the local school. Professional educators notoriously obstruct their playing any such role. School boards clearly fail to fulfil the democratic functions they may seem to have on paper, their hand-in-glove relationship with even remoter authority placing them in frequent confrontation with local opinion. The Home and School organization has traditionally coped by talking softly with deference; it carries no big stick, however, Smitheram analyses the meteoric but much-resisted rise in Prince Edward Island of the rival Concerned Citizens movement, and suggests that a solution may lie in giving the Home and School at least a small stick and a recognized role in decisions. But in a postscript he notes that that organization still doesn't seem interested in adopting an advocacy role. RÉSUMÉ S'il est une chose qui est bien loin d'être réglée dans les systèmes d'éducation publique, c'est le rôle que jouent parents et citoyens dans les décisions prises au niveau de l'école locale. Les éducateurs professionnels nient catégoriquement jouer le moindre rôle à cet égard. Quant aux commissions scolaires, il est manifeste qu'elles manquent aux fonctions démocratiques qui semblent leur être assignées sur papier, les rapports privilégiés qu'elles entretiennent avec les pouvoirs même les plus éloignés leur valant la hargne de l'opinion locale. L'organisation Home and School a généralement fait face à ce problème en adoptant une attitude discrète et déférente; mais elle n'a cependant pas de gros bâton. Smitheram analyse la montée fulgurante à l'Ile-du-Prince-Edouard du mouvement rival Concerned Citizens et il donne à entendre qu'une solution possible consisterait à donner à Home and School au moins un petit bâton et à lui permettre de prendre part aux décisions. Mais dans un postscriptum, il nous signale que l'organisation ne semble pas vouloir adopter un rôle de plaideur.Downloads
Published
1982-09-01
How to Cite
Smitheram, V. (1982). SUPPORT OR CONFRONT? ORGANIZING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN P.E.I. McGill Journal of Education / Revue Des Sciences De l’éducation De McGill, 17(003). Retrieved from https://mje.mcgill.ca/article/view/7472
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