LEAD IN OUR SCHOOLS TAP WATER

If this wasn't so serious it could almost be funny. Today we learn of ongoing problems with lead in our school's drinking water.For many years now our local school board, the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) have been gaining notoriety for their poor academic performance. That's right this is the same board which is very long on puffery and suggestions that they are a world class institution providing world class education, blah,blah and blah. Turns out not quite so much. By a long shot. It turns out that the provincial math and english test scores for Grade 3 and Grade 6 students have exposed some pretty second class results. Gee maybe we could throw some more taxpayers money at the teachers and at the administrators. That always seems to work (Not!). Today's Waterloo Region Record carries the story titled "Some local school taps fail lead tests".

We've long known that lead can negatively affect brain development and learning outcomes. It especially has negative effects upon children. Sooooo exactly how long is it going to take our braintrust at the WRDSB to come up with their spin on this one? Remember these guys are all about spinning everything. Whether it's the latest flavour of the month Edubabble properly known as nothing more than a new educational fad or whether it's explaining away rising teacher absenteeism, these guys can spin a tale.

Therefore while currently allegedly exerting world class efforts to reduce lead concentrations in the fountains at our schools, might they not suggest that this is why they haven't been able to keep up with their educational counterparts around Ontario for so many years now? They've tried the English as a second language excuse due to children of immigrants, despite Toronto for example having lots more. Now it's time to get really creative. Our children aren't doing well because we've rotted their minds with excessive lead in their drinking water. See it's really not due to our managing and supervising nor is it due to teacher issues at the public school level. It's lead in their brains. That's it! Keep the money flowing suckers oops taxpayers. We love our public school system just as it is. No changes required.