Doug Ford failed to give our schools the support they needed during the pandemic, leading to the longest school closures in Canada. Now he’s cutting $800 million from our kids’ classrooms.
Families are burnt out and kids are struggling with their wellbeing. We can’t afford another year of disruptions, closures or painful remote and hybrid learning.
Marit Stiles and the NDP have consistently called for a comprehensive and funded plan to safely reopen schools – and keep them open. That includes:
- Smaller, safer class sizes with more caring staff from ECEs to custodians to teachers.
- Improved ventilation with clear standards, classroom inspections and public reporting
- Mental health supports and curriculum adjustments to help students recover emotionally and academically
- More in-school supports for students with disabilities
- Paid sick days and family care days for everyone, including parents so they can keep sick kids at home, and all education workers
- A proactive strategy to reach out to families to get students vaccinated, with mandatory vaccination requirements for education workers.
- Adding the COVID-19 vaccine to the existing required vaccines list for students.