School-finder lists immigrants, income

TORONTO, April 8 (UPI) -- The Canadian province of Ontario has come under fire for a Web site that gives individual schools' details on immigrant and family income levels.

The School Information Finder site was launched last Friday and opposition parties and the People for Education advocacy group are upset with the information posted, the Toronto Sun reported Wednesday.

Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty spoke with reporters Tuesday and denied allegations such statistics could undermine the public school system by creating unfavorable images of individual schools.

"From time to time I think it's important we recognize parents' interests in these things ... If you were to ask parents whether or not they want this information, I know what their answer is: Yes, they want this information," the premier said.

One opposition member's complaint was that the Ministry of Education site would encourage parents to ship their children to schools out of their neighborhoods and create enrollment imbalances, the report said.