Ontario teachers walking out of classrooms, onto sidewalks

As students enjoyed a long weekend, teachers and support staff across the province protested amid negotiations with the Ontario government.

It is the first time since 1997 that the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association and the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens have all taken job action, as the four boards walked the picket lines Feb. 21. The one day walkout by the nearly 200,000 teachers is estimated to affect two million students across 72 school boards. 

“We are hoping that Mr. [Doug] Ford and Mr. [Stephen] Lecce will finally listen and understand that it’s not about money,” said Fran Van Gent, an educational support staff worker for the Greater Essex County District School Board. “The cuts that they are making to these services and the cuts they are making for these children are completely unfair.” 

While students are missing classes Van Gent said the support from the public has been great. 

Included in that support was kindergarten student Finley Miller. Miller was featured in a video her mom posted on social media begging for her teacher to stay, against proposed cuts.

“I asked Finley a couple questions and I said Finley would you know that your kindergarten teacher might not be here next year,” said Carly Miller, Finley’s mom. She added Finley’s eyes opened wide and she was shocked.

“So I asked her a few questions and it just worked out she ended up saying some pretty good stuff. We just wanted to do something for the teachers, to show we support them.”

Others are taking the education outside of the classroom so their children don’t fall behind.

“I took it upon myself to print some extra work off that [they] could practice [with] at home,” said Heather Escobar, a full-time nurse and mother of three school-age children.

“I know that the teachers aren’t going to have enough time, they’re going to have to rush through some of the components that they were learning at the time.”