| This thesis examined the philosophical, legal, historical, and political issues related to the question, "Does public financial support of Saskatchewan's church-founded, historical, independent high schools compromise the liberal, democratic public good of providing a free, compulsory education?" The research was qualitative in nature: the methodology was grounded theory. The researcher interviewed experts who had studied or written about public funding of private schools, or who had influenced Saskatchewan's policy on funding historical, independent schools. Using data garnered from existing literature and intensive interviews with 13 legal and educational experts, this thesis argued that public funding of Saskatchewan's historical high schools does not compromise the liberal, democratic public good of providing a free, compulsory education; in fact, such funding is consistent with the most sacred principles of Western democracy (individual freedom, for example).; Saskatchewan's provincial government---to be equitable and just to all constituencies, to be consistent with Canadian culture, and to be true to the spirit of the political compromises of Canadian Confederation---should extend some direct financial support to independent schools, but only if doing so does not financially compromise commitment to public education. There are no binding legal reasons (beyond provincial accountability guidelines) to withhold funding. Historical, political, and philosophical arguments suggest not only that the provincial government should financially support such schools, but also that it may have a responsibility to do so. |
