QUEEN’S PARK — Wednesday in question period, NDP Education critic Marit Stiles and NDP Anti-Racism critic Laura Mae Lindo urged the Doug Ford Conservatives to reverse callous cuts to education programs that are expected to hit vulnerable youth hardest, and have already resulted in the Toronto Catholic District School Board reporting that 95 students are now out of a job.
Last weekend, Ontarians learned that the Ford Conservatives had quietly informed school boards in a series of memos Friday night about the claw back of $25 million in funding for education programs. The job cuts were announced by TCDSB on Wednesday.
“That’s only one school board reporting so far,” said Stiles. “There are going to be many more students left without employment.”
The Ford Conservatives’ cuts will also affect education programming designed to support vulnerable youth, tearing opportunities away from racialized, Indigenous and low-income youth.
“These cuts are examples of racism and classism being embedded in the educational system in 2018,” said Lindo. “These students deserve every chance at success like their white peers and those in more affluent neighbourhoods.”
The NDP will continue to call on the Ford Conservatives to restore this vital education funding.
“Will this government reverse their cold-hearted decision and reinstate these important programs?” Stiles asked the Education minister.
The minister refused.