Is the government in shallow water with their cutbacks?.
Students all around the province are constantly reminded of the decrepitude of the education system. More and more they're having to share textbooks, and it's becoming almost routine to find an empty paper towel roll in the washrooms. But not being able to swim in their own school pool? Not until recently has this become a threat. Cutbacks are having to be made, but taking away swimming pools should NOT be an option.
Over 83 schools in the Toronto District School Board have swimming facilities. Those that don't, pair up and use another schools facilities if possible. Children are not only given swimming lessons but are taught the basics of First Aid and Basic Water Safety Precautions. It is like a vaccination "everybody receives it "and like a vaccination, it saves lives. Where swimming is taught in elementary schools, 98% of Grade Six graduates leave their school KNOWING HOW TO SWIM!!!! In grade 7, teachers no longer drill the ABC's of water safety into students heads because students are assumed to know them. Never should life saving skills be assumed. Taking away pools is not just saving money for the Board, it's taking away education. Therefore, by taking away the pools, you take out the chance to save lives. Families that can't afford private swimming lessons depend on these programs: These programs that are available to ANYONE. So, if the issue here is saving money, why not close recreation centres with pools and save the entire city money?.
Getting an early start with swimming doesn't only teach basic strokes. It promotes the awareness of being water smart. The more we know, the more we can prevent. In 1995, more than 1,000 children ages 14 and under drowned. Children ages 4 and under accounted for nearly 60% of these deaths. In 1999, Ontario had the highest number of water-related fatalities with 141.