Teachers’ union raise alarm about more cuts to public education in Ontario budget

BY PAUL JUNOR

The five teachers’ unions are not happy with the Ontario budget that was released on Thursday, March 23^rd, 2023. One of the largest unions, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) has expressed strong opposition to the budget in a press release issued on Wednesday, March 23^rd, 2023.

ETFO has consistently voiced its displeasure at the consistent and sporadic cutback to public education that has characterized the time that the PC-led government has been in office. It has expressed disapproval at the government’s attempts to: mandate compulsory online courses, reduce the number of support services available to students and eliminate full-time time support workers.

In many ways, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that compelled the government to invest more in education especially in mental health support.

The press release opens with concerns about impending cuts to public education. It states, “The provincial government had the opportunity to strengthen public education in Ontario through this year’s budget, but instead they are forcing school boards to make cuts to services, which means cuts to support schools. This budget ignores rising costs due to inflation and on-going pandemic-related pressures on public schools. Instead of supporting workers and the public services Ontario relies on, the Ford government has chosen to continue to provide billions of dollars in tax giveaways to corporations, and end workers’ access to three paid sick days.”

ETFO is troubled that the Ontario government has totally ignored its 38 budget recommendations which would improve the quality of public education.

Some of the recommendations include:

• Allocate funding to school boards for the hiring of additional educational assistants, psychologists, behaviour therapists, child and youth workers, school support counsellors, and speech and language pathologists
• Implement mandatory on-going training and professional development for all administration, school board trustees and teacher candidates on recognizing and addressing anti-Black racism, including microaggressions
• Develop and deliver-in consultation with mental health experts, teachers, education workers, unions and other education stakeholders-long term, fully funded, comprehensive culturally responsive mental health supports to students
• Provide funding for a provincial standardized funding online reporting system to all school boards to use for reporting injuries and illness, safe school incidents, exclusions, and workplace violence
• Provide additional funding for professional learning and resources for educators to support the implementation of the revised Mathematics curriculum

ETFO is particular about the lingering effects of the COVID pandemic in schools.

The press release notes, “The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for people across the province and disproportionately impacted individuals and families from marginalized communities, including Black, Indigenous, racialized, disabled, and low-income communities. As we emerge from the pandemic, these communities are also bearing the brunt of inflation. To alleviate these inequitable burdens, avert a recession, and build a more just and equitable province, the Ford government must invest in public services, including public education.”

ETFO is aware of the financial situation of Ontario as revealed by Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy on Thursday, March 23^rd, 2023. Ontario is expected to end 2023 with $200 billion in revenue that would be greater than the $20 billion that it anticipated last year.

This is largely attributed to inflation and the economic recovery that is currently occurring. In addition, Ontario has about $4 billion set aside in its contingency fund with about $1.75 billion carry over from last year.

“Ontario’s current fiscal position provides a unique opportunity to adequately fund public education services and reinstate funding that has been cut from public education over the past four years. Unfortunately, the government chose to withhold billions of dollars in contingency. Ontario students, education workers and families deserve a fully-funded, high-quality equitable and inclusive public education system.”