TORONTO – Brampton students walked out of class on Monday, angry over the fallout from government legislation imposed on Ontario’s teachers including reining in wages, cutting benefits, and the removal of their right to strike.
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation encouraged a one-day protest last Wednesday, but the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario then asked its 76,000 members to withdraw from volunteer duties and meetings on “McGuinty Mondays.”
Bramalea Secondary School students are upset their extracurricular activities and clubs have been cancelled, and held a protest on the front lawn of their school, saying they stand with their teachers.
“If you heard something from a friend, and if you heard something from a stranger, who would you more likely believe?” asked Bramalea student Tyler Woodcock. “We build bonds with our teachers, so we have their back because they’ve always had ours.”
Students protest in solidarity with teachers at Bramalea Secondary School in Brampton on Sept. 17.
Other students say they would be happy with a few different outcomes of the protest.
“We wanna see if the government will revoke Bill 115 after seeing all the schools go through this, or even a teacher re-vote on whether or not they want to do extra-curriculars,” said Bramalea student Kayleigh Rouse.
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The Liberals argue the legislation was needed to help them eliminate a $15-billion deficit and ensure the school year isn’t disrupted by job action.
Premier Dalton McGuinty, speaking at a press conference regarding the new air rail link at Toronto Pearson airport, admitted the only thing he can do is appeal to the better nature of teachers and government workers.
“Those of us who have the privilege to teach in a great publicly-funded education system here in Ontario–let’s find a way forward and leave the kids out of it,” said McGuinty.
Despite having said last Wednesday that he “can’t” accept a decision on the part of teachers to “withdraw services that are in fact part and parcel of what kids have come to expect from Ontario’s great teachers,” he offered no other response than appealing to their “better angels.”
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