In Alberta, Canada the school board faces a dilemma with publicly funded alternative schools, including The Alberta Ballet School of Dance.<P> <A HREF="http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/stories/001227/5078758.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/stories/001227/5078758.html</A><P>[The original URL was adjusted by Stuart simultaneous with the solution below!] <P><p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited December 28, 2000).]

Maggie, I don't know what's up with the Calgary Herald website either!<BR>Try this link, it should take you to the archive index, it's the first story.<BR> <A HREF="http://www.calgaryherald.com/archive/001227.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.calgaryherald.com/archive/001227.html</A> <p>[This message has been edited by Marie (edited December 28, 2000).]

For some reason the last number on the url has changed from 9 to 8, maybe when they archived the story?<BR>Let's see if this direct link works:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/stories/001227/5078758.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/stories/001227/5078758.html</A>

ahhhhh, success...

This is a very interesting subject - thank you Maggie for the link -<P>As school districts here in the US also grapple with the problems both created and cured by privately formed or community formed schools, the issues addressed here are most prescient.<P>To this quote:<P>"The challenge, he said, is to create a public education system that embraces differences without compromising equity."<P>I would add: we must also not compromise "from many, one". If a nation is afterall to survive - a nation made up of many cultures such as the United States and Canada are (as well as other countries) there also has to be a sense of national identity. As much as we want the schools to honor individuality, and community identity, we also don't want the schools to be the kettle which Balkanizes the country. <P><P>------------------<BR>Approach life as a dancer approaches the barre, with grace and purpose.<BR>