Forwarded to group for Greg Peterson. Norm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gregory. Peterson & Tammy. Booth Peterson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Norman Werling" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Marcus Berger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: 2000December02 13:24 Subject: [Fwd: Imperial in Sask. Classrooms] > 2000-12-02 > > Marcus, Joe, Alan, Duncan, (and Norm) > > This is the current situation in Saskatchewan. I have passed on this > information to Mr. Curtis Cook at Measurement Canada. > > Keep your eyes open for the National Post article either in today's edition > or very soon. > > For the sake of metric in Saskatchewan, please email the minister of > education at: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > greg > > ps. Norm, could you please forward this to the List. It would be quicker for > you to do so than for me to subscribe from home on my "boat anchor" of a > computer. > greg :) > > "Gregory. Peterson & Tammy. Booth Peterson" wrote: > > > 2000-12-02 > > > > Mr. Cook: > > > > Please excuse the long email. However a recent turn of events in > > Saskatchewan has occured of which I place partial blame on your > > department. > > > > The Saskatchewan School Trustees Association (SSTA) has just recently > > passed a resolution to prompt the department of education to > > re-introduce imperial measurement into the Saskatchewan curriculum. They > > claim this is because of "essential" use of metric in areas such as > > farming, construction, and mechanics. > > > > I strongly believe that if Measurement Canada had made the effort to > > enforce the Weights and Measures Act and Regulations, as it is currently > > written, there would be less of a perceived need by our educators to > > teach the imperial system. It is time your department take on a > > leadership role and, quite bluntly, do your job. > > > > Please find attached the letter I had sent to my minister of education > > and my local MLA, the article that appeared in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix > > on 2000-12-01 and my rebuttal. > > > > Since this news broke I have been contacted by the National Post to > > comment on this item. I have also been in contact with the deputy > > minister of education's office, the Senate, the SSTA, Saskatchewan > > Teachers Federation, and the Postashville School District. > > > > I hope you take the time to provide me with a serious reply addressing > > this concern and the others that I have been bringing to your attention > > over the past year. > > > > With sincerity, > > > > Gregory Peterson > > Saskatoon SK Canada > > (306) 249-2070 home > > (306) 956-7296 work > > > > ========================================== > > 2000-11-30 > > > > Dr. Jim Melenchuk, Minister of Education > > Room 340 > > Legislative Building > > Regina SK S4S 0B3 > > > > RE: SSTA proposal B-5: To urge Saskatchewan Education to include > > Imperial measurement instruction. > > > > Good morning Dr. Melenchuk, > > > > I heard a news report on the more than 50 resolutions being discussed > > by the Saskatchewan School Trustees in Regina on Wednesday. I have to > > quite bluntly ask: What troglodyte at the Postashville School Division > > wants to bring back Imperial to the classroom!? (see attached) This > > resolution, which was passed on Wednesday, November 29, claimed that > > Imperial is still being used in some specific areas such as carpentry, > > mechanics, and farming. I firmly believe that Saskatchewan teachers do > > not need to teach Imperial, at any level or any extent, to pass on this > > information. Let me give you a few examples of these areas that were > > assumed to be "essentially" Imperial. In Saskatchewan a section of land > > is 259 ha, a township is 93 km�, range and township roads are 1600 m > > apart, cereals and oilseeds are sold by the tonne and swine by the > > kilogram, agricultural research, as in all scientific fields, is done > > using only metric units (kg/ha, g/ha, L/ha, etc.). In Saskatchewan house > > plans are drawn up in millimetres, all of Canada's building codes are > > metric-only, all large scale construction projects (such as the > > Synchrotron) are designed and built using metric units and metric > > supplies such as bricks and beams, a "two by four" is closer to 40 mm by > > 90 mm than it is to the nominal two-inches by four-inches, a sheet of > > paper is 21.5 x 28 cm, and a sheet of plywood is 1220 x 2440 x 19 mm. > > Finally, the American automotive industry has been metric for decades in > > order to compete in Asian and European markets. The only inch on a car > > is the diameter of the wheel rims. At the very most, teach the Imperial > > system alongside the other pre-metric measures such as Egyptian > > "cubits", Roman "libras", and French "arpents" in a secondary school > > history class. > > > > I am 30 years old. I am from the first generation of Canadians taught > > completely under the metric system. I have no problem preforming my > > daily tasks, renovating my house, or maintaining my own car using only > > metric units. I own a centimetre-only tape measure. The "essential" need > > for Imperial is nothing more than the misinterpretation of a habitual > > need. I hope that Saskatchewan Education is progressive enough to set > > the standard for how our society should be operating in metric rather > > than reacting to a perceived concern by a few. I have no need for the > > Imperial system nor do 95% of the world's population. The European > > Union, for example, will be banning all products from the United States > > and other countries, including Canada, in 2010 that are not metric and > > lack metric-only labels. > > > > For years Canadians outside of Saskatchewan have said "set your clocks > > back 20 years when you cross into Saskatchewan". The mere debate on this > > issue is the unfortunate proof of this saying. I can only hope that you > > and Saskatchewan Education have sufficient national and international > > vision to see how ridiculous such a proposal is. Rather than confusing > > our students with a maze of conversion factors and archaic units maybe > > our educators should be petitioning those few industries, including our > > farmers, to join the modern world and start using kilometres, hectares, > > kilograms, joules, pascals, and millimetres. After all, Australia's > > farmers were able to switch completely to metric in less than 8 years > > and that was 25 years ago. Rural Australia doesn't have a problem with > > the metric system, why does rural Saskatchewan? > > > > I look forward to your reply. > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Gregory Peterson > > Research Technician > > > > As an aside: > > The metric system is relevant, and more useful than Imperial, in > > Saskatchewan, for example: > > > > To calculate the amount of time required to work an area of land while > > on the tractor all you need to do is multiply your speed in "km/h" by > > the implement width in "metres" and divide by 10 for your answer of > > "ha/h". > > > > i.e. (km/h * m) / 10 = ha/h > > > > This equation would be horribly complicated and impractical using miles > > per hour, feet-inches, and acres. > > > > ------------------------------------------ATTACHED REFERENCE > > ------------------------------------ > > > > Saskatchewan School Trustees Association Convention 2000 > > > > B-5 BE IT RESOLVED that the SSTA urge Saskatchewan Education to revise > > curriculum to include instruction of imperial measurements that are > > still being essentially used in today's industry and economy. > > > > Potashville S.D. #80 > > East Central Branch > > > > Sponsor's Rationale > > Many occupations (carpentry, mechanics, farming) still use the imperial > > system of measurement. > > The provincial curriculum does not include the imperial system of > > measurement for instruction. > > > > Formal SSTA Policy: No policy statement on this issue. > > Most Recent SSTA Position: No previous position. > > > > ===================================================== > > > > The StarPhoenix Saskatoon SK 2000-12-01 > > > > Inches, ounces and gallons may be back in Sask. classrooms > > > > SSTA votes to seek return of imperial measurements to school curriculum > > > > by Darren Bernhardt of The StarPhoenix > > > > More than two decades after Canada ousted imperial measurements in > > favour of metric, the former system could be making a comeback in > > Saskatchewan schools. > > > > School boards from across the province voted this week to urge the > > provincial Education Department to revise the provincial curriculum to > > include instruction of imperial measures still in wide use. > > > > Although the system was dropped in the mid-1970s, many industries, > > particularly construction, continue to use it. If students are not > > educated about the system, they are not adequately prepared, said Darryl > > Bangsung, director of education for the Potashville school division in > > Esterhazy. > > > > "Our board members have been made aware by employers that imperial > > methods of measurement are still a big part of their business but > > students are coming out of school with no concept at all of measuring > > something in inches or fractions of an inch," he said. > > > > That point was argued at the 85th annual convention of the Saskatchewan > > School Trustees Association (SSTA) in Regina this week. After being > > voted on by board members across the province, the suggestion was passed > > by 641 members while 430 opposed it. > > > > "This is not, by any means, a resolution asking for a return from the > > metric to the imperial system. However, we are saying there should be > > opportunity to include some instruction in those areas that are still > > being used," said Bangsund. > > > > The job of schools is to ensure students are ready to enter the work > > world but that cannot be done if certain things are ignored, he said. > > > > "Our big neighbour to the south still uses the imperial system totally > > and that spills over into Canada. Just buy some tools and you'll see > > they're all in imperial," he said. "Our students should spend some time > > in school becoming familiar with that. So we want the SSTA to talk to > > the government and say, 'Is there a place somewhere in the curriculum > > where this can be dealt with?'" > > > > Gary Shaddock, president of the SSTA, which represents all boards of > > education in Saskatchewan, agreed with Bangsund and said he will present > > the concerns to the minister of education. > > > > "I don't think this is a step backwards, although some people may > > believe otherwise," he said. "It's a matter of realizing we may not be > > providing students with information they need to know. From that > > perspective, it is clear why this is a concern." > > > > Deputy education minister Craig Dotson said he would not contemplate > > such a curriculum change "without full dialogue with all of those > > education stakeholders in the province" and is prepared to have a > > meeting on the subject. > > > > =============================================== > > > > 2000-12-02 > > > > Mr. Darren Bernhardt > > The Saskatoon Star Phoenix > > 204 5th Avenue North > > Saskatoon SK S7K 2P1 > > fax (306) 664-0437 > > > > RE: "Inches, ounces and gallons may be back in Sask. classrooms" > > > > Dear Mr. Bernhardt, > > > > I would like to address the article you wrote concerning the SSTA vote > > to return Imperial measurements to the school curriculum. I am 30 years > > old. I am proud to say that I am from the first generation of Canadians > > to be educated completely in a metric curriculum. I feel fortunate that > > I never had to learn the mismatched and convoluted British Imperial > > "System." Many outside of Saskatchewan feel that they are "setting their > > clocks back 20 years" when they are in the province. The debate on this > > issue of measurement is the unfortunate proof of this statement. > > > > I find the comments made by Mr. Bangusnd, the Potashville director of > > education, those of a person living in willful ignorance. One can only > > prepare our students for today's international marketplace by using the > > International System of Units -- i.e. metric. I firmly disagree with the > > statement that carpentry, mechanics, and farming are three industries in > > Saskatchewan where the use of Imperial is "essential". Quite honestly, > > the use of Imperial at all in Canada is habitual, and a bad habit at > > that. In carpentry all of Canada's building codes are written in > > millimetres and metres, dimensional lumber, such as a "2 x 4" is > > two-inches by four-inches in name only and is much closer to 40 mm x 90 > > mm, a sheet of plywood is labelled as "1220 x 2440 x 19 mm", all > > blueprints include millimetres, construction of large buildings, such as > > the Synchrotron, are done using metric plans, metric beams, and metric > > bricks, all highway construction is done using metric, and so on. In > > farming we see the habitual use of Imperial that could very easily be > > adjusted to metric: a township is 93 km�, a section is 259 ha, grid > > roads are 1600 m apart, grains and oilseeds are sold by the tonne and > > swine by the kilogram, all research done in agriculture is done using > > metric units such as kg/ha and L/ha, and to calculate how long it takes > > to work a field the metric equation of tractor speed (km/h) times > > implement width (m) divided by 10 equals hectares per hour is far > > simpler that the resulting monstrosity if miles per hour, feet-inches, > > and acres are used unless, of course, a farmer is still using a team of > > oxen. Finally, the American automotive industry has been using metric > > for decades in order build their products in Asia and compete in the > > Asian and European markets. The only inch left on a car is the diameter > > of the tire rim and even that can be expressed in millimetres. > > > > Canadian businesses in the late-1970s were given government assistance > > in the form of tax breaks to convert their operations to metric. Those > > started after 1980 should have realized that children of the day would > > no longer understand Imperial as adults and thus these businesses should > > have designed their operations in metric. The SSTA should be pro-active > > and petition Measurement Canada and the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce > > to encourage businesses to use metric rather than reacting to a few > > squeaky-wheels whining about the lack of Imperial knowledge. > > > > The current resolution to return Imperial to the classroom will only > > open the Imperial floodgates. Teachers currently obligated to use the > > metric system will now be able to use Imperial in all classroom > > activities and justify it as a "learning exercise". Our classrooms are > > already strained for resources and time. The addition of Imperial to the > > curriculum would be a waste of precious tax dollars. The product of this > > would be students who have no clear perception of either measurement > > system and will be "innumerate" for the rest of their lives. The public > > education system should not be responsible for the errors made by > > individuals in the marketplace. It should be up to the business to train > > their new employees, or adapt their methods to the new -- metric -- > > marketplace. > > > > Finally I would like to address the one glaring error made by Mr. > > Bangsund. The United States does not use British Imperial measurement. > > Americans use "US Customary" that has a smaller foot, mile, acre, > > bushel and gallon, a larger ounce, cup and spoon, and two different > > pints and quarts to name a few differences. Does Mr. Bangsund suggest we > > teach our students both Imperial and Customary? This is the very reason > > why metric was developed 250 years ago; to have one system for everyone > > to make international and interprovincial trade fair. The North American > > Free Trade Agreement was written only in metric. In addition the US is > > moving, albeit slowly, towards metric. The National Institute of > > Building Science has a metric-only policy, engineering societies have > > adopted metric standards, the US federal government requires that all > > federal construction projects done in metric, 14 states including > > California and New York use metric-only construction for their highways, > > the Uniform Packaging and Labelling Regulations allow for metric-only > > labelling on consumer items, most Americans have learnt the metric > > system in public school, and many businesses such as General Motors, > > S.C. Johnson & Son, and Coca- Cola have converted their business over to > > metric. > > > > In 2010 the European Union will ban all non-metric and dual-labelled > > products from import. This has placed pressure on the United States to > > convert to metric. If Saskatchewan, and the rest of Canada, insists on > > using and teaching Imperial then we will most likely be left behind by > > our "big neighbour to the south". Saskatchewan businesses could take > > advantage of this new metic-only requirement and out- compete American > > businesses in Europe. > > > > In conclusion I strongly hope that the Minister of Education rejects > > this out-dated, unnecessary, ignorant, and wasteful proposal to > > re-introduce Imperial into the Saskatchewan curriculum. By staying > > metric-only we have everything to win and nothing to lose. > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Gregory Peterson >
