TORONTO, June 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Public education in Ontario is in a state of crisis.
School boards across the province, including TDSB, TCDSB and YCDSB, are going into deficits – not because of mismanagement at the board level, but because of chronic underfunding at the provincial level. Since 2018, Premier Doug Ford’s government has underfunded public education by $1,500 per student per school year leading to structural deficits resulting in staff burnout and hampered student development. These deficits have especially left students with special needs behind.
On June 19th, Toronto & York Region Labour Council joins education workers, parents, students and more rallying to support progressive TDSB trustees who are working to protect quality publicly-funded education and add pressure to the provincial government to step up and Fund Our Schools.
| Who: | Toronto & York Region Labour Council; Elementary Teachers of Toronto; OSSTF Toronto; Toronto Education Worker Local 4400; Ontario Education Catholic Teachers Association - York Region, Toronto Elementary Catholic Teacher, Toronto Secondary Unit; Ontario Autism Coalition; Trustees from TDSB and TCDSB; and NDP MPPs |
| What: | Rally calling for the Conservative provincial government to stop cutting and start funding our public education system. |
| When: | Wednesday June 19th at 4PM |
| Where: | Toronto District School Board, 5050 Yonge St |
| Why: | Education workers, parent advocacy groups, unions, and students in Toronto and York Region are calling on all levels of government to fund our schools. |
Media Contact:
Jennifer Huang
Executive Assistant, Toronto & York Region Labour Council
Phone: 416 886 4082
Email: jhuang@labourcouncil.ca
About Toronto & York Region Labour Council:
The Toronto & York Region Labour Council represents over 200,000 workers from diverse sectors across the Toronto region. Committed to fighting for economic, social, racial and climate justice, the Council works tirelessly to create a fair and equitable future for all. Find out more about the Fund Our Schools campaign here: Fund Our Schools
About Elementary Teachers of Toronto:
The Elementary Teachers of Toronto (ETT) is a Local of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO). With over 11,000 members, it is the largest teachers’ Local in Canada.
About Toronto Education Workers Local 4400:
Toronto Education Workers/Local 4400 is made up of approximately 12,000 Education Workers who primarily work within the Toronto District School Board; Childcare Workers from various Childcare Centres and Caretakers from Viamonde French Board. Representing over 400 Job Classifications, and over 1,000 Worksites.
About OSSTF Toronto:
The OSSTF Toronto Teachers' Bargaining Unit represents secondary school teachers in high schools, adult day schools, alternative schools and programs, centrally assigned positions, and summer and night schools in the Toronto District School Board.
About OECTA York Region:
As York Region’s local unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA), York Catholic Teachers represents more than 4,000 members in both elementary and secondary schools of the York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) teaching and serving approximately 55,000 students from junior kindergarten through to grade 12 in 90 elementary and 16 secondary schools in communities across York Region.
About TECT:
The Toronto Elementary Catholic Teacher’s (TECT) represents more than 4,000 elementary teachers who work in the Toronto Catholic District School Board and is the largest unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA). Our members are teachers of students in all grades and subjects from Kindergarten to Grade eight throughout the city of Toronto.
About TSU:
The Toronto Secondary Unit (TSU) of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association serves over 2,500 permanent and occasional teachers employed in the Secondary Panel of the Toronto Catholic District School Board.
TSU is the official voice of Catholic Secondary School teachers employed in the Toronto Catholic District School Board.
About the Ontario Autism Coalition:
Formed in 2005, the Ontario Autism Coalition is a province-wide organization with over 21,000 supporters. The OAC’s mission is to secure life-long, permanent, scientifically-supported, government-funded therapy, treatment, and services for individuals with autism and their families.
