CHRISTY HAS $PECIAL NEED$

Maybe Christy Clark should stay out of politics.

First she left her post as Minister of Education in the B.C. government to pay more attention to her new son. Then, a few months later, she ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Vancouver. She was a Port Moody resident at the time.

Now she wants to save all the "special needs" children by opening a private school with your money.

Christ and a friend of hers named Wendy Cocchia have had a meeting with the current Minister of education, Shirlely Bond, to this questionable end. Cocchia is owner of something called The Absolute Spa Group.

First question: If Cocchia is such a good business woman, why doesn't she pay for this school herself and run it like the private business that it is clearly meant to be.

Next questions: When and how did Cocchia and Clark suddenly become so concerned about the welfare of "special needs" children? Do they have one or two? Does their cousin? Or is this what we call in the world of entrepreneurs, "an opportunity?"

It is crucial that special needs children not be isolated from the rest of the world. The ideal and reasonable response to the needs of such children and their families is what I would call "Half and Half." Half days they are in regular classrooms. Half days they are in special needs classrooms. It is essential not only for these kids that they are an important part of the mainstream, but almost as important for the other children to learn to love and help others.

Leave us not return to the days of Woodlands. And leave us not consider for a moment publicly funding a private enterprise in what should be a public concern.

Maybe Christy would like to do some volunteer work?