PLANNING A RALLY AT YOUR LOCAL MPP’S OFFICE
BY MICHAELA KARGUS AND CAROLYN PROULX-WOOT TON L
ast fall, the news and social me- dia were full of stories about the cuts proposed daily by Ford’s Conservative government. This fall, we are beginning to see the
effects of the cuts. Ford’s government took a fast and fu-
rious approach to implementing their austerity agenda, leaving public schools, students and families in the dust. The edu- cation consultations from last year targeted the most marginalized in our communi- ties, our youngest students in Full-Day Kindergarten, our already overflowing ju- nior/intermediate classrooms,
racialized
and Indigenous students and students with autism and special needs. The funding formula was already bro-
ken, a result of Ontario’s years under the Harris government, and this government’s budget is poised to send our fractured sys- tem over the proverbial edge. Thankfully, parents, educators and others in the com- munity have been actively organizing and challenging the government.
THE PATH TO PLANNING OUR ACTION
Letting local MPPs know we are outraged by the cuts to public education and orga- nizing with our communities are critical as we move into the fall and continue bargain- ing. When we began planning a No Cuts to Education Rally, we wanted to ensure our MPP for Brantford-Brant, Will Bouma, knew his constituents wanted him to act to protect public education. Organizing and mobilization begin with
relationships and conversations. Once we set a date, we began sharing the event on social media. We connected with parent groups and families advocating for sup- ports for public education and children with autism. We connected with our mem- bers, families and neighbours. Announce-
ments were made at our local representative council meeting and individual committee meetings; conversations were happening at the local office, staff rooms, the grocery store, the dance studio, even at the local are- nas. One by one, we talked together about taking action , took on organizing roles and built energy and momentum. We made fly- ers and placards, and tailored frequent so- cial media posts to support the event.
MEETING WITH OUR MPP
As word spread about our rally, an invita- tion was extended by MPP Bouma to dis- cuss our concerns. We met with him and his staff. We brought our diverse perspec- tives to the table, speaking as teachers and parents of children in the public education system. We stressed that increasing class sizes and cuts to funding for public edu- cation would impact all children, but par- ticularly those who are most vulnerable.
We asked him to share our concerns with
the Minister of Education and followed up with a formal letter.
RALLY DAY
When the day of the rally arrived, we were not afraid to be loud and proud! Our signs spoke to the issues that most impacted our work. We planned a great song list of uplift- ing social justice music to play on a wireless speaker. We brought drums, whistles and noisemakers. Our group consisted of teachers and
other educators, retired educators, children, university students, parents and other com- munity members. We talked about how these cuts were going to affect each of us dif- ferently. We built a network of community engagement and we have continued to con- nect with this group since the rally, support- ing our continued efforts.
ELEMENTARY TEACHERS’ FEDERATION OF ONTARIO 33
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