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IF THE GOVERNMENT WAS SERIOUS ABOUT REBUILDING TRUST IN ONTARIO’S PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM, IT WOULD NOT BEGIN WITH ADS OR SLOGANS, IT WOULD BEGIN BY REDUCING CLASS SIZES.”
the fly. Most professional development is offered outside of working hours, which is when many teachers catch up on emails, complete marking/descriptive feedback and do program planning. Emotional labour is also oſten ignored.
Teachers who are racialized, disabled or oth- erwise outside the dominant culture are fre- quently the ones leading equity efforts or ad- vocacy work – much of which is unpaid and unsupported. In conversations with other ed- ucators, I have learned that in many schools, this kind of work was never prioritized. In others, it has quietly disappeared. As a Black woman educator who has navigated racism and sexism in the workplace, the mental and physical toll can become overwhelming. Tis isn’t sustainable. And the exodus from our profession proves it.
EQUITY PROMISES WITHOUT STRUCTURAL CHANGE
We talk a lot about equity and inclusion, but without disaggregated data and intersec- tional planning, these policies ring hollow. As class sizes increase,
teachers’ ability to
provide meaningful, individualized attention sharply declines, undermining both academ- ic achievement and student well-being – es- pecially for those most in need of support. Even the current Math curriculum, with a strand dedicated to social-emotional learn- ing, falls short and avoids confronting the hard truths about systemic bias. Teaching is a profession that is ground-
ed in relationships, and my experience has shown me that the better my connection to students and their families, the better the outcomes for students. Te pandemic was a collective trauma that impacted all students and staff in different ways. It continues to be felt even six years later. In the classroom, I have noticed post-pandemic that many stu- dents are experiencing increased difficulties focusing on tasks, anxiety over speaking and sharing ideas in front of and with their peers, as well as emotional dysregulation and lack of resilience when learning new skills. Men- tal health curriculums and trauma-informed teaching are only part of the solution. We need smaller class sizes to address these nec- essary skills directly. Field trips – a critical part of culturally
responsive pedagogy – are increasingly rare in many schools. With inflated class sizes, trip logistics become cost-prohibitive, espe- cially for schools in communities that face systemic marginalization. For example, just renting one school bus for a day can cost
upwards of $1,000, not including event ad- mission fees. Families can be asked to con- tribute $25 or more per student just to cover transportation, which is a significant finan- cial load for many. Larger class sizes also mean more super-
vision is required when going on field trips. In Toronto, for students in grades 1 through 8, the ratio of adults to students is 1:15, with many excursion venues recommending or in some cases requiring even more supervision. Without enough, field trips aren’t possible. Families
in marginalized communities
can face barriers to participation in their school community for practical reasons (e.g., conflicting work schedules, language barri- ers if English isn’t their first language) and/ or, personal reasons (e.g., past negative ex- periences have leſt them distrustful of school institutions, feeling a lack of connection and understanding from school staff or a lack of positive communication from the school. Smaller class sizes afford teachers more time to build stronger positive relationships with families, which can help strengthen a sense of belonging to the school community.
WHAT REAL SUPPORT LOOKS LIKE
If the government was serious about rebuild- ing trust in Ontario’s public education sys- tem, it would not begin with ads or slogans, it would begin by reducing class sizes. Smaller classes allow for more frequent
and meaningful assessment. Tey create the conditions for stronger relationships be- tween students, teachers and families. Tey make space for hands-on learning, outdoor education and a wider range of instruction- al approaches. We already know what works. Ontario’s
public school teachers have been delivering creative, compassionate and effective instruc- tion for decades. But we cannot continue to make it work without structural change. Smaller classes are not about making our jobs easier, they are about making student learn- ing deeper, safer and more equitable. Te issue of class size is not just about
numbers, it is a reflection of our values – of who and what we are willing to invest in. Right now, it’s clear that the government is not valuing the students, educators or com- munities that sustain public education. Educators want smaller class sizes not
because we want to do less, but because the students of Ontario deserve better. n
Cynthia Roulston is a member of the Elementary Teachers of Toronto Local.
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