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www.insidehalton.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, November 10, 2017 | 12 Parents plead with Catholic board not to phase out EFI by Kathy Yanchus Metroland Media West In a déjà vu moment, proponents of the Halton Catholic District School Board's (HCDSB) Early French Immersion (EFI) program found themselves facing the board for the second time in less than a year to defend it. In December of last year, trustees voted against staff's recommendation to phase out the four-year pilot program because of concerns about its equity and lack of qualified teachers. Their decision was, at least in part, due to impassioned parental delegations, and was followed by the establishment of an ad-hoc committee tasked to find solutions to sustain EFI. This time, parents were not just frustrated and angry at the committee's recommendation at the Oct. 17 board meeting to phase out EFI beginning in 2018, but they also accused the committee of disregarding its mandate. "It is evident that this committee has disregarded the community opinion, ...and bluntly deviated from its mandate," charged Marcio Campos, one of 19 delegations that addressed the board Tuesday night at Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School. "Having been denied the opportunity to participate or observe the work of the committee, but after carefully reviewing the meeting minutes that were made public, it is very evident the committee took it upon themselves to establish a new mandate. "Furthermore, what appalls me the most, is that despite having identified the challenges in hiring qualified teachers as the key issue, the committee has not presented a single recommendation to address it. Not a single suggestion to improve our recruitment process and outcomes. Nothing." Campos brought a message directed to the board from Ontario's Education Minister Mitzie Hunter who suggested the board not make a hasty decision. "... with respect to Halton Catholic ... let's inform them of what was announced here today so that they are aware of the steps being taken by the ministry to address the shortterm crisis in French language teachers supply. Let's get them that news, so that they don't make a decision that they don't have to make, because there is some relief that will be forthcoming," said Hunter at the Canadian Parents for French Symposium held last month in Mississauga, videotaped and presented by Campos. The underlying themes in the majority of delegations included the benefits of EFI, the board's lack of resourcefulness in its recruitment process, its perceived lack of will to maintain EFI, as well as the promise to leave the Catholic system. "Have we looked to our neighbouring boards and their successes or received information as to how they have been able to continually grow their respective EFI and EF (Extended French) programs?" queried parent Michelle Salvati. With student participation in French Immersion growing at an average annual rate of 5.7 per cent over the last 11 years in Ontario, does anyone believe that this will be the end of the debate?, queried parent Joanna Serpe. "We can only anticipate that public pressure for more French programming will grow and it's the job of the trustees to figure out a way to meet this demand," stated Serpe. Javier Rubatto, president of the Halton Catholic Chapter of Canadian Parents for French spoke of both federal and provincial government support for French immersion in Ontario, not the least of which is the promise to create a French language university in the province. There were two dissenting delegations, one by former HCDSB trustee Alice Anne LeMay, who dismissed politicians' comments about ensuring an adequate supply of FSL teachers in English school boards. "Governments make all kinds of promises, especially leading up to elections," said LeMay. "How can this board keep offering programs that we cannot staff? "I have heard comments suggesting that we hire non-Catholic teachers. This is an English Catholic board and it is the responsibility of all of us to preserve, promote and protect Catholic Education," said LeMay. St. Bernadette school council members Christine Phillips and Jennifer Monte said they had not received parental feedback requesting an EFI program. The pair stated the focus instead has been and continues to be dissatisfaction that children have been without qualified French teachers in the classroom for weeks at a time when a staffing shortage occurs. They also said they feel the board should focus on acquiring and retaining qualified Catholic French teachers to continue a successful Extended French program. The board will vote again on the future of EFI at the Nov. 21 meeting "likely" to be held again at Notre Dame CES. 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