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OPINION & LETTERSTHE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR:The Oakville BeaverTHE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR:Canadian Circulation467 Speers Rd.,Audit Board Member Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 Recognized for Excellence by(905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571ClassiOntario CommunityCanadian Communityfied Advertising: 632-4440 Newspapers AssociationNewspapers AssociationCirculation: 845-9742 Open 9-5 weekdays,ATHENASuburban NewspapersAward5-7 for calls only Wed. to Friday, Closed weekendsof AmericaEditorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. NEIL OLIVERVice President and Group ROD JERREDManaging EditorMARK DILLSDirector of ProductionUnauthorized use is prohibited.Publisher of Metroland WestDANIEL BAIRDAdvertising DirectorMANUEL GARCIAProduction ManagerThe Oakville Beaver is a division ofDAVID HARVEYRegional General ManagerRIZIERO VERTOLLIPhotography DirectorCHARLENE HALLDirector of DistributionJILL DAVISEditor in ChiefSANDY PAREBusiness ManagerSARAH MCSWEENEYCirc. ManagerLetter to the editorAdvisory committeesGifted programsprovide valuable inputpay dividends We are puzzled by the Oakville budget committee's In response to Mrs. Krysmanskis recommendation to cancel eight Town advisory com-letter regarding special needs and mittees.gifted students (Oakville Beaver,Feb. If the recommendation is passed, as of March 31, 25), I must express my shock, frustra-eight advisory committees the Environmental tion and anger to her. Strategic Plan Committee, Oakville Harbours She asks why the Halton board of Committee, Parks and Recreation Committee, Traffic education started special classes for Committee, Transit Committee, Seniors Committee, so-called gifted students? Because the Oakville Youth Committee and Cultural Committee program pays for itself; because the would cease to exist.board prefers shaping successful stu-All this would leave, according to the Town's web-dents over breeding drug abusers; and because it is the moral thing to site, is six statutory committees.do.This would save the Town $50,000 a year a These children already have a minor savings compared to the $135 million operat-good head start in life and in the ing budget tabled by the committee.school system. The decision caught us by surprise because there Fact: Children with high IQs are at hadn't been much public discussion about cancelling greater risk to abuse drugs and alco-these committees nor any detailed explanations about hol. Just because you start the race a the rationale behind the decision.mile down the road doesnt mean Seven of the eight committees meet on a monthly youll win. Especially if your competi-basis and provided input to council relating to their tors learn to run while you languish area of concerns. In the past they have provided a in your lead: unaware of what a work out is; what it means to run; and how valuable resource and input to councillors and staff. exercise is vital to your well being At the budget committee meeting last week, Mayor once the race is over.Rob Burton indicated residents can still provide input Gifted programs arent meant to to councillors through the Internet and e-mails.prevent the brightest from getting Why then does the mayor hold private Community bored. Theyre designed to prevent a Leaders' Roundtables with 25 invitation-only com-valuable resource from being squan-munity leaders to discuss local events and issues? dered and to protect at-risk youth. The Oakville Beaverwelcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity,Couldn't their viewpoints be solicited by e-mail?Letters Our gifted youths present incredible length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain Curiously, at the same time they recommended potential. Unchallenged, they often the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to to the saving $50,000 by eliminating eight advisory commit-The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to perform worse than their peers, abuse editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaverreserves the right to refuse to publish a letter.tees, budget committee members steadfastly refused drugs and alcohol, and to quote the editorMaryland Report, face psychological to stop printingLet's Talk Oakville, council's glossy damage and permanent impairment magazine-like newsletter which was published twice of their abilities to function in soci-last year at a cost of $83,600.Gifted children face challengesety.Doesn't electronic messaging flow both ways?Gifted programs pay for them-As a mother of a gifted child I know When not properly cared for, meaning If the Internet and e-mail have made advisory selves. Mentioning we should scrap firsthand the challenges we face and the lacking proper direction and learning committees redundant, why does council insist on the program especially in a time of general misunderstanding that a gifted kid opportunities, a gifted kid could become an printing and delivering a glossy magazine at the tax-fiscal restraint is shameful. Thats is an easy one to raise. underachiever, not only by being below payers' expense?like saying you want to save money Despite general belief, giftedness is a average kids on regular milestones, but also It just doesn't make sense.on transit, so you dont go to work. potential for learning, not a guarantee of by being a burden to classmates surround-Given our druthers, we would rather see taxpayers' The aforementioned drug and alcohol academic or life success.ing them due to behavioural problems, to money spent on ways ordinary citizens can tell coun-abuse can lead to crime, costing our Just because a kid is gifted, that doesnt name only one of the concerns associated law enforcement. Depression costs cillors what they want, rather than spending it on our healthcare system. The inability mean that they have a good start in life or with their so-called gift.ways for councillors to tell us what they have done.to learn costs our economy valuable in the school system.By testing them early, behavioural We urge council to reconsider this recommenda-workplace efficiency.Very often, these kids also have a disabil-issues, cognitive and, in general, challenges tion when the budget is presented to council. On the Whether the gifted program ity. For example, they might have a better affecting the whole classroom, could be surface, it would seem short-sighted and ill-con-deserves higher priority over other cognitive understanding, but a delay in addressed early or avoided altogether. ceived.special needs programs is up for motor skills. The Halton District School Boards early The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., debate. For our children's sake, learn Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, Also, more often than not, they are the primary gifted program should serve as a the facts before burning yourself in in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, object of discriminative and bullying behav-model for all school boards.together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the this heated dialogue. advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize iours. Scarlet Estrada, OakvilleDave Toms, Oakvilleadvertisements or decline.www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, March 2, 2011 6