The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Silent Majorities, Vocal Minorities Political leaders, special interest groups and the like are constantly appealing to the "silent majority" of voters and citizens for support, often claiming that they have the support, approval and represent that mystical majority. The claim is that this large group is unheard, not vocal, dislike public participation and confrontation, but are silently supporting whatever cause or policy the leaders are espousing. "Everybody's against me but the people,"claimed John Diefenbaker, as the embattled Prime Minister was forced into a 1963 election with the Bomark missile crisis emerging as a major election issue. Some evidence has surfaced that U.S. president Kennedy involved his administration in trying to defeat the old chief Ð and succeeded. Certainly a lot of people supported Dief but he never won another national election. Two years ago a Toronto Globe And Mail reporter wrote a column supporting the decriminalizing of marijuana. One writer happily noted that the lack of angry response by readers meant that "the silent majority see the wisdom and utility of legalizing marijuana Ð attorneys-general take note". In 2000, Mario Dumont, the young leader of the A.D.Q. in Quebec called on the silent majority to elect his party, defining them as "those who aren't represented at the negotiations table", and said, "In 2003 I'm confident the silent majority will speak for the A.D.Q. in all of Quebec." They didn't, Quebeckers elected the Liberals and Mario won only a few seats. Prior to this in June of 1999 headlines trumpeted, "The silent majority has spoken Ð and it's Mike again in Ontario" as Mike Harris Ð opposed by the Union leaders, teachers, and other vocal groups Ð won again in Ontario. His press secretary gushed, "We've always known that the silent majority of Ontarions who do not show up with placards and bullhornsÉ have been tremendously supportive of Mike Harris. Four years later then Premier Ernie Eves, trailing the Liberals badly in all polls, claimed he would win election by the "silent majority". He lost badly. Even Gary Doer in last June's Manitoba election deplored the low turnout of voters and claimed a large silent majority supported his party but did not show up to vote. There are many other examples, indeed a check on the Internet shows 301,926 leads and stories about the so-called "silent majority". Closer to home, and following the Creighton School Board's historic 4-2 vote to start their own high school, the board chairman fended off criticism by the large majority of those who attended the two meetings held on the topic by claiming that there is a silent majority of Creighton School Division ratepayers who support the High School but did not publicly voice their opinions. The chairman and his three supporting trustees were perhaps buoyed by the "unofficial poll" which appeared on the front page of this newspaper on November 17. If unofficial is defined as unrequested, unpaid-for, and unscientific, the board may be better advised to conduct a referendum among all taxpayers on this issue to see if they really have the silent majority's approval. All reports from the two public meetings Ð one of parents, the other of ratepayers Ð indicate they do not have the support of the large numbers who attended. In fact, the 'Corner' has heard of no community leaders in favor except those who have a vested interest in seeing the school expand. The board majority indicates that this expansion will save the school division financially, will avoid staff layoffs and the high school will be able to teach 80 courses including chemistry, biology and calculus, including small classes. Eighty courses (presume 80 sections), of which one teacher can in theory teach 14 with seven in each semester, will require a minimum of 5.7 teachers and an estimated salary cost of$285,000 if they are able to hire qualified teachers willing and able to handle the workload. Salary costs make up 80% of the operating costs of any school although books and equipment for high schools are very expensive compared to an elementary school. If very small classes are permitted i.e.: calculus and physics, sections will be tiny, which will drive up salary costs considerably. The above is an extreme situation. In most high schools teachers teach six to seven classes per year, depending on the collective agreement and the course offerings, which for a quality education must include a number of optional courses. This would double the number of teachers required, and the salary costs as well. When I asked a current school superintendent if the idea was feasible, he said that being feasible on paper does not mean it is good or should be done. He explained that it would be feasible to run my household on half of the present costs, but it would mean a severe cutback in lifestyle. As a former deputy minister of education, with six high schools in his jurisdiction, his comments made good sense. Provincial grants in every province do not cover the costs of educating a student. In Manitoba 51% of the costs are covered by the local taxpayer. The thought that having a high school in Creighton will save the taxpayers money is not convincing to say the least. There are many ways in which school divisions approach declining enrolment with school consolidation, cutbacks in staff and administration usually a part of the plan. One proposal at the meetings was to request both provinces for permission to form one school division between Flin Flon and Creighton with one school board and one administration. This is not an impossible idea and would most certainly be the most fiscally responsible plan. See 'Issue' P.# Con't from P.# More than one citizen at the meetings noted that they do not consider themselves to be "Creighton people" but part of the whole Flin Flon-Creighton-Denare Beach community. They have a point. Is there a feeling on the Saskatchewan side of the border of "small town chauvinism?" Is the idea of adding a high school in Creighton to save the school enrolment and prevent layoffs in the best interests of the community, the students and the taxpayers? A vocal minority is convinced that it is not, will harm the student's educational opportunities, and will lead to higher school taxes on homes and property that is already highly taxed. Trustees should pay attention to this vocal minority, particularly since it includes members of the community's leadership. The issue is far from over.
