Flexibility cuts both ways

August 17, 2020

QUEEN’S PARK — Green Party of Ontario Leader and Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner issued the following statement today asking Premier Ford and his Education Minister to take their own advice and ‘be flexible,’ when it comes to unpaid work and a shorter school day in Toronto:

“The Premier should quit playing politics by vilifying teachers’ unions for his flawed back to school plan.

The Premier and Minister Lecce should bring teachers, parents, staff, principals, health care experts and school board trustees to the table to collaborate on a plan that keeps our children safe.

Instead, the Premier and Minister are asking teachers to perform unpaid prep time so that school days can be longer.

They refuse to make the investments needed to reduce class sizes.

And now they are demanding longer school days even if there’s a risk of overcrowding classrooms.

The Premier should listen to the thoughtful plan the TDSB has offered.

If kids need a shorter day to stay safe, then the Premier has to stop saying he has the best plan in Canada and actually listen to what teachers, educators and hundreds of thousands of parents are asking for.

Premier, please follow your own advice, be flexible. The health of our children is on the line.”

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