From Hope to Harris: The Reshaping of Ontario's Schools

by R.D. Gidney

In the late 1990s, Ontario's schools are in turmoil. Under the Harris government, sweeping changes in governance, finance, and curriculum have produced unprecedented conflict and deep divisions. From Hope to Harris sets these developments in a broad historical context. Beginning with a portrait of the school system in 1950, the year the Hope Commission offered its own blueprint for Ontario's schools, Gidney describes the expansion of the system, changing purposes, conflicts over curriculum and pedagogy, the reorganization of governance and finance, and new departures in provision for Roman Catholic and francophone education. He highlights the struggles over other forms of equitable treatment for children and young people, and the impact of larger social changes on the schools. The politics of education under successive Ontario governments is a major theme, including an extended discussion of the origins, events, and immediate aftermath of the Harris government's 'common sense' revolution in education. From Hope to Harris charts the major landmarks, the paths taken or not taken, and the debates that have washed over the educational landscape from the 1950s to the end of the century. Given the current unrest over educational issues, this book will be of interest to teachers and parents alike, and to all those concerned about the future of public education in Ontario.

Genres: Education

400 pages, Paperback

First published October 16, 1999

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

A respectable history of Ontario's education system from the 1950's to 1990's.

It's been a few years (2009) since I read it but I found that I learnt a lot about my own education system and it gave me insight into why things are the way they are. Gidney also provides a fair bit of background information that would otherwise not be available in the public record to future scholars, educators and politicians.

I'm hoping for an update to it along the lines of From Miller to Wynne, 1985-2013 but it seems the author has gone the other direction and filled in the first half of the 20th century first.

PS Yes, I'm curious to see the author revisit the decision to extend funding to the Catholic Separate schools in light of current demographic realities (e.g. the unintentional over-representation of practicing Roman Catholics in publicly funded education) which is why I suggest going from Miller to Wynne rather than from Harris to Wynne.