FROM THE PRESIDENT


ORGANIZING IS THE ANTIDOTE TO FEELING POWERLESS AFTER YEARS OF CUTS


W


e know that public educa- tion can bring equity and opportunity to all Ontari- ans regardless of their geo-


graphic locations or personal circumstances. But for that to be truly the case, we need to elect a government that values and invests in our public schools. We need a government that will bargain fairly with educators and other public sector workers. Te Ford government is rumored to call


an early election in the first few months of 2025. Tey have spent years blaming the car- bon tax and the federal government for all the problems facing the people of Ontario and they want to go to the polls before the federal election, which must happen no later than fall 2025. In anticipation of the provincial election,


your released officers have spent the fall trav- elling across Ontario to meet with members in every single local and hear your priorities and concerns. ETFO members turned out at these meetings to talk about how cuts to public education have affected their schools and their classrooms. Members talked about large class sizes, lack of specialist teachers, long wait times for student assessments, lack of resources and lack of ordinary class- room supplies. While members were clearly doing their best for their students and their classrooms, you talked about the impacts of loss of prep time on your ability to plan future lessons, struggling to address in- creasing mental health needs with few sup- ports, increased violence and students fall- ing further behind. Despite these significant challenges, when


asked to imagine what our schools could look like if public education received the invest- ment it so desperately needs, educators didn’t hesitate to respond. Smaller classes would mean more one on one time with students, more specialists and resources would mean that students have the supports they need to be successful, needed assessments and sup- ports would mean less violence in the class- room. Tis list goes on and on. We know that


so much can be improved for students and educators if we had a government that valued children and invested in public schools. It is this picture of a better future, not only


for public schools and students but for all public services in Ontario that fuels the orga- nizing that educators and others are doing in anticipation of the election. ETFO has created a number of tools and


resources for members and the public, which are available at BuildingBetterSchools.ca. ETFO has developed a map tool that allows you to search how much has been cut from your local school and print a PDF with that information. Te numbers produced by this map tool localize the cuts and help explain why educators and students are feeling them so deeply. We have also shared an activist toolkit, social media shareables and testimo- nial videos from parents and educators about the impacts of cuts to public education. If


you haven’t already done so, register to be notified of actions and to be part of the on- going campaign to support public schools at BuildingBetterSchools.ca. With more than $1,500 cut in per stu-


dent funding in every part of the province, our members and our students have been struggling with fewer supports and resources and many feel physically and emotionally stretched. But that is what makes organiz- ing all the more important. Not only does organizing present an opportunity to change things for the better, it is also a way for us to connect with neighbours, colleagues and community members. Organizing is the an- tidote to the powerlessness that many of us are feeling aſter years of cuts and I encourage you to get involved. Happy New Year! Looking forward to or- ganizing with all of you.


– Karen Brown ELEMENTARY TEACHERS’ FEDERATION OF ONTARIO 5


PHOTO BY CHRISTINE COUSINS


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