MHS Students to Walk out This afternoon

Since his election in June 2018, Doug Ford’s government has anounced a number of cuts to public education. On March 15th, the most recent cuts were announced. These include:

• An overall loss of $1.4 billion for public education
• Loss of $986.8 million in education jobs funding
• Loss of an estimated 18,000 Grade 4-12 teaching jobs
• 27% increase to class sizes: 28-45 students
• $200 million in cuts to special education eliminating 500 support person positions
• Forcing all students to take 4 courses online to graduate high school (we would be the only school system in the world to do this)
• 12.9% cut to textbook, computer and classroom supplies fund
• 5.8% cut to office support staff
• These cuts will result in 1 in 4 classes being eliminated and 5,800 fewer teachers in our high schools (including 1,000 jobs cut in Toronto alone)

This is also protesting other education-related action by the provincial government including:

• Reverting the newly updated sex-ed curriculum (2015) to the one taught in 1988.
• Deprioritization of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which halts the efforts to the decolonization of the education system in Ontario, including the incorporation of Indigenous knowledge and teachings.
• The cuts to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)
• Ontario Autism Program Funding Cuts which undermine the inclusion of children on the autism spectrum, in the public education system

The students say no to the attacks on public education, and are planning a walkout this afternoon, April 4th, 2019.

The walkout in Wawa will be taking place from 1:15 pm to 2:15 pm at Michipicoten High School. This is an issue that deeply affects all students, parents, and educators in Ontario.