“Across Ontario, I have heard repeatedly that Doug Ford’s stubborn refusal to give school boards the flexibility and funding required to keep class sizes small has resulted in many schools being forced to keep classrooms empty while others have kids packed into larger groups. This situation puts the students’ safety at risk and has the potential to undermine our recovery.”
“The idea that classrooms may sit empty is completely shocking to the Moms and Dads who I’ve spoken to who wonder why their kids may be crammed into unsafe, overstuffed classes that leave no room for proper physical distancing, while other classrooms at their kids’ school are empty.”
“For months Ontario Liberals have called on Doug Ford to ensure small class sizes and to stop short-changing our schools. The lack of funding and Ford’s stubborn refusal to give school boards the flexibility they need to fix the problem are unacceptable.”
“The only person with the power to stop class consolidation and the resulting unsafe situation is Doug Ford. He could provide school boards with the flexibility and the funding that would ensure empty classrooms are used and kids have enough space to stay safe. But Doug Ford has made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t value public education.”
“In July, Ontario Liberals released a fully-costed education plan that would have created thousands of new classrooms so students could safely distance at school. Sadly, that plan was ignored by the government.”