A Crisis in Public Education Manufactured by This Government's Systemic Underfunding

With dozens of programs, new resources, campaigns, lobbying efforts, ministry meetings and all the other work ETFO does to support members, the fall has been a very busy time at provincial office. As early election rumours have been ramping up, ETFO and other progressive and labour organizations have been meeting to plan our collective efforts to help elect a government that values and is willing to invest in public education and other public services.

This fall, ETFO held a province-wide listening tour to connect with members in every local. The listening tour was a powerful exercise, connecting with educators across the province who will be part of our outreach efforts going into the next election and beyond to provincial bargaining. Staff are working to support locals in their organizing and engagement efforts.

We know that not all members engage with their union politically. Your focus is on your classrooms and your students as you struggle to do your best with declining supports and limited resources. In this political climate however, where we risk a third consecutive majority Conservative government not only provincially, but a Conservative government federally as well, your voice and political participation are more important than ever. Poll after poll tells us that the most trusted authority on public education are classroom educators. This makes your voice essential to the conversations about how people can support public schools in the next election.

While ETFO runs robust public campaigns that have a significant impact on pressuring the government and setting the context for change, nothing is more effective than the conversations that educators have in your communities. This year ETFO has created some valuable new tools that are available to members and the public at BuildingBetterSchools.ca. We have created a map tool that allows you to search any school in the province to find out how much has been cut by the Conservative government since they came to power in 2018. This information can be easily shared through your social media channels or downloaded and printed. The numbers are staggering and really drive home why educators, students and parents are feeling the cuts to public education so deeply.

When parents talk to you about the lack of supports and resources in schools, feel free to point them to Building Better Schools, where they can watch educator and parent testimonials, learn about ETFO’s plan for public education, search the map tool themselves or download an activist tool kit that will support them in their own organizing for Ontario public schools. The Building Better Schools campaign tools are there to support you.

There are so many ways for ETFO members to get involved. Please make sure that you are subscribed to the ETFO e-newsletter and registered for the public campaign at BuildignBetterSchools.ca. If you have never been to an ETFO program or downloaded free resources, see what is available to you at members.etfo.ca. Please also connect with your locals to find out about local events and opportunities. If you are a new member, check out the Welcome to ETFO booklet available at etfo.ca.

The reduction in education funding in real dollars ($1,500 per student since 2018) by the Conservative government has exacerbated pre-existing challenges such as large class sizes, the poor physical condition of schools, insufficient and inequitable access to in-school supports and resources to meet student needs. The reality is that the crisis in public education has been manufactured by this government through systemic underfunding. This upcoming election is an opportunity for educators to help turn that around by working in their communities to elect a government that is willing to invest in our schools.

Wishing you a happy new year and looking forward to working with all of you in 2025!

– Sharon O’Halloran