Public attitudes toward education in Ontario 1978: The OISE survey report

Abstract

This first OISE/UT survey is an effort to determine the educational concerns of Ontarians. It is based on the assumption that in a democratic society everything possible should be done to enhance the public's collective awareness of its own policy preferences, as a basis for representative decision-making. The survey looks at the relation of education to other public issues, satisfaction with the schools, the social role of schools, educational financing, curricular objectives, freedom and authority within the school, and the politics of education. Despite a stagnant economy and declining enrolments, the survey finds that education appears to have retained its importance as a policy priority in the minds of the Ontario public over the past five years. There is a high degree of satisfaction with school services in general, even though few people now see the quality of education as improving and there are many complaints over specific concerns such as student discipline problems and education taxes.