NDP Leader Andrea Horwath was in Brantford today calling for a Safe Schools plan robust enough to prevent disruptions to in-person learning.
“Families are exhausted, kids are really struggling with their mental health and wellbeing, and teachers and education workers are burnt out,” said Horwath. “We need to make sure that when they return to school in September, it’s a healthy and successful return. If we prevent outbreaks and exposures, we prevent kids from having to be sent home again.”
Horwath and the NDP are calling for smaller class sizes, improved ventilation with minimum standards, extra mental health supports, paid sick days for all parents, teachers and education workers and a strategy for vaccinating as many students as possible.
She was joined today by the President of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, and newly announced NDP candidate Harvey Bischof.
“Now, more than ever, it’s time to invest in public education — not cut $800 million out of classrooms,” said Bischof.
“Doug Ford has to make a choice. He can invest what it takes to get class sizes down, get ventilation standards up, and make sure parents have the paid sick days they need to keep kids with symptoms at home. Or he can keep trying to save a buck on the backs of students, teachers, education workers, families, and our province’s progress in the fight against COVID-19.”
The government unveiled the plan today. Click here to see details.