As the province enters the third wave of the
pandemic, the Ford government is delivering a budget that fails to even
keep education spending in line with the rate of inflation and
enrolment growth. Obviously, education is not a priority for this
government.
The pandemic has had a profound impact on students, education
workers and our communities. In addition to health and safety concerns,
regular disruptions have resulted in considerable learning loss and
widening achievement gaps. With this budget, the Ford government had an
opportunity to provide students with the supports they will need
in the months and years ahead. Instead, they continue to exaggerate
their investments while actually shortchanging Ontario's students and
families.
The government's ongoing refusal to invest in measures that would
keep schools safe has led to deeply concerning health and well-being
impacts for education workers, including hospitalization. Their erratic
and inconsistent vaccination plan continues to generate confusion and
chaos across the province. And their overall failure to respond to
the pandemic has extended the crisis and continues to create
uncertainty.
To date, the province has refused to make critical investments in
publicly funded education, putting students, education workers and
families at risk. The government has disregarded advice from medical
experts, refused to enhance safety measures, and looked away as safety
concerns and self-isolation requirements result in unprecedented
staffing shortages across Ontario.
The education unions call on the Ford government to invest in:
- lower class sizes to keep students safe and to address learning loss incurred during the pandemic;
- enhanced safety measures to ensure infection control;
- mental health supports for students and education workers; and
- supports for students with special
education needs.
It's high time Premier Ford and Minister Lecce begin listening to
education workers. The Conservative government's abandonment of
publicly funded education is callous, and they must be held to account.
This article was published in
Voluem [volume] Number 24 - April 2, 2021 - No. 24
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2021/Articles/WO08247.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
