Ontario’s high school teachers withdrawing services from select school boards this Tuesday

By

Published January 31, 2020 at 1:28 am

classroom

According to a news release from the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF), teachers will be withdrawing all services for school boards across Ontario on February 4.

According to the release, the following school boards will experience a full withdrawal of services this coming Tuesday.

     • Lakehead District School Board
     • Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board
     • Lambton Kent District School Board
     • Thames Valley District School Board
     • Waterloo Region District School Board
     • Waterloo Catholic District School Board
     • York Region District School Board
     • York Catholic District School Board
     • Halton District School Board
     • Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

However, OSSTF President Harvey Bischof has agreed to postpone pending job actions if the Province agrees to return to the class-size ratios and staffing levels from last year.

“OSSTF members are not the only ones who understand the enormity of the damage that will ensue if this government’s education agenda is allowed to unfold,” Bischof said in the release.

“It is now clear from multiple polls, and even from the government’s own public consultations, that a significant majority of Ontarians recognize the folly of larger classes, diminished supports, mandatory online learning, and fewer course options for the province’s students,” he continued.

“If Premier Ford is even remotely serious about providing ‘government for the people’, then he will acknowledge that Ontarians have roundly rejected his education agenda, and he will direct his Minister of Education to return to the bargaining table and negotiate a deal that preserves the quality of one of the best education systems in the world,” Bischof added.

In response, Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, issued a statement, saying: “Parents are losing patience with OSSTF’s ultimatum of proceeding with further strikes against students unless the government delivers on their demands – including a $1.5B sector-wide compensation demand.

“OSSTF is preventing students from learning, and withdrawing critical services, including not completing report cards, EQAO math testing postponed, and extracurricular activities cancelled. These actions are only hurting the students of our province. I urge OSSTF to bring forward reasonable proposals to be bargained at the table that enhance the student experience, not compensation for their members, so we can reach a deal that keeps our students in class,” Lecce added.

insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising