A committee seeking tax support and grants for Jewish day schools in Montreal said today some progress had been made in a meeting with the Protestant School Committee on the Jewish committee’s proposals.
Israel Akerman, chairman of the Committee for Tax Supported Jewish Schools, said that no decision was reached by the Protestant Committee, which has broad powers over the education of Protestant and Jewish children in Montreal. However, he reported that one member of the Protestant Committee said he favored the principle of extending a $200 grant given to “private” high schools to the elementary level.
The goal of the Jewish group, Mr. Akerman said, was “to obtain tax support and grants for Jewish day schools and students equal to tax support and grants given to Catholic and Protestant students and schools.” Committee members claimed it was unjust that taxes paid by parents of 4,300 children attending Jewish day schools were paid to Protestants who contributed nothing to the education of the Jewish pupils.
The Jewish committee said that the Protestants had gained $25,000,000 from Jewish taxpayers in the past 23 years” and that in 1964 alone, Protestant revenue from Jewish taxpayers exceeded the cost of educating Jewish children by $3,000,000.
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