TO MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY
WHO CARE ABOUT OUR PROVINCIAL AND DEMONSTRATION SCHOOLS:
SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROPOSED DIVESTMENT
What’s Happening?
As you know, our Provincial and Demonstration schools, which serve deaf, blind, deaf-blind and learning disabled children across Ontario, are under threat of divestment by the Ministry of Education to a “new governance model.”
OPSEU represents the staff of these schools but has not been invited to be part of that process. We have many questions - and very few answers.
All we know is that when this government downloads or privatizes public services it is always a disaster. Walkerton should have been a warning for the government.
We also know that disabled people, children and public servants have been on this government’s hit list from day one. Now they have the Provincial and Demonstration Schools in their sights.
We have some serious questions:
- How (if at all) will divestment benefit the children? What will happen to quality of education?
- Will quality of education suffer as it has in boards of education across Ontario due to the government’s unfair funding formula?
- How will funding and availability of service be guaranteed once the schools are out of the Ministry’s hands? Who will be able to attend?
- Who will be the decision-makers on the Board of the new organization(s)?
We also have concerns about the effect of divestment on our broader communities. In Brantford, Belleville, Milton, London and Ottawa, these schools create direct employment and have an impact on local businesses. Our concerns have been reflected in media stories in many of these communities.
We will continue to work with key members of the community, politicians and the media to ask these important questions. Our goal is to have the issue of the Provincial Schools raised in the Legislature, and to keep up the fight against divestment of the provincial schools.
You can help the children in the Provincial and Demonstration schools by:
- Writing a letter, faxing or e-mailing your MPP.
- Discussing the situation with neighbours and friends.
- Writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
Your assistance is appreciated by the staff, the students, and their parents.
A message from the staff of your Provincial and Demonstration Schools
Ontario Public Service Employees Union
Authorized for distribution: Leah Casselman, OPSEU President
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