Private Member's Bill

Education Amendment Act (Community Involvement), 2006

Ontario Hansard - 06-April2006

Mr. Frank Klees The second bill I am introducing for first reading was proposed and developed by students at Cardinal Carter Catholic High School in Aurora, who also are with us today. I ask the members to give them a special welcome. I want to acknowledge the initiative of Carly Carrigan, who is in the gallery with her fellow students and teachers Ms. Giulia D'Agostino and Ms. Laurie Lucignani. Welcome.

Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): This bill, if passed, will amend the Education Act to allow the minister, under the act, to require students in the senior divisions to complete no less than 80 hours of community involvement activities, or a lesser number of hours that the minister may specify, before receiving their Ontario secondary school diploma.

It will also require school boards to establish policies and guidelines relating to these community involvement activities, and those policies and guidelines cannot prohibit students from participating in heritage and cultural events of a community as a means of completing those requirements.

School boards will also be required to establish joint teacher-student committees to assist students in determining appropriate activities and providing guidance relating to the successful completion of the required number of activity hours.

I urge all members of the House to support this bill.

 Students Make Legislative History

 May 10, 2006

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