Chris Fox, CP24.com Thousands of educators from across the province gathered at Queen’s Park on Saturday to protest the planned elimination of more than 3,000 teaching jobs over the next four years and call on the province to boost funding for education. The province has indicated that it intends to cut 3,475 full-time equivalent teaching positions through attrition, starting with 1,558 positions this fall. The elimination of the positions is expected to result in a savings of $851 million over four years; however the plan has drawn the ire of both teachers and students. Today’s rally, which got underway at 12 p.m., was jointly organized by five unions that represent public school teachers in the province. It came just days after thousands of students at more than 600 schools across the province participated in walkouts to protest changes to the education system. “They are talking about taking thousands of teachers out of the education system and that is going to result in enormously enlarged class sizes, large class sizes where kids can’t get the individual attention that they get right now. But it also means taking away class choices,” Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers Federation President Harvey Bischof told CP24 ahead of the rally. “Every teacher who is cut out of the system leaves with six class options that they could otherwise give, so kids are not going to have the choice of the arts, the music, the technology that they have access to right now and that lead them to futures that they want to select for themselves.” The provincial government announced in March that it would increase the average class size in Grades 9 through 12 to 28 from 22. The province also said that it would slightly increase the average class size in Grades 4 to 8 from 23 to 24. Speaking with CP24 prior to the start of the rally, Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario President Sam Hammond said that teachers and parents across the province are committed to “taking a stand against the cuts that this government is proposing.” “Listen we already have a world class, sustainable education system in Ontario and these tens of thousands of people are here today to ensure that we maintain that system,” he said. Union officials have said that over 170 buses transported educators to today’s rally from communities across the province from communities across the province. In a message posted to Twitter on Saturday morning, Premier Doug Ford did not directly address the rally but he did say that his government will “not be distracted from making the necessary reforms to create a sustainable, world-class education system that protects what matters most for students.” NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, however, told attendees at Saturday’s rally that “the public education system is hanging by a thread and the premier is about to cut that thread.” “We are here to see ‘No, that is not what we want in our province.’ We are saying no to talking a billion dollars out of our public education system,” she said.<doc-sep>Share this Story: Massive union rally at Queen's Park to protest education cuts Massive union rally at Queen's Park to protest education cuts Article content Education is the passport to the future but provincial cuts are putting Ontario students in a no-fly zone. That was a message heard by thousands of educators, parents, students and union representatives from all over the province who gathered at Queen’s Park Saturday afternoon to protest Ontario’s planned cuts to education in this Thursday’s provincial budget. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Massive union rally at Queen's Park to protest education cuts Back to video The province has plans to increase class sizes in Grades 4 to 8 and in high school and reduce the number of teachers across the province by more than 3,000 to save almost $1 billion before the next election. That will result in enormous classes where students won’t get the individualized attention they currently have, Harvey Bischof, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation said, adding he is optimistic Saturday’s massive protest will move the government to reverse its position on some issues. He said there will also be a reduction in the number of elective curricular classes. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “Every teacher cut will mean six class options taken away and it will be impossible to offer some programs critical for some kids to choose the path that is right for them,” Bischof said. Premier Doug Ford needs to apologize to the thousands of students for calling them pawns of union bosses for walking out of class on Thursday to protest the cuts, said Sam Hammond, president of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario. “What I saw was our future is in good hands and those students will vote in the next election,” Hammond said. “This is what happens when you threaten teachers and cuts to education in the province.” More On This Topic LILLEY: The truth on class size Ford blames teacher unions for student walkout Ontario students stage walkout to protest education changes LILLEY: The 'deep cuts' in education are anything but Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The public education system is hanging by a thread and Ford is prepared to cut it, said leader of the Ontario NDP Andrea Horwath. “Imagine what Ontario would look like if we had a fully funded education system where kids get the support they need. Young people would have access to all kinds of programs to find their gifts,” Horwath said. Karen Conceicao, a special needs teaching assistant working with autistic high school students at the Peel Board of Education, says it would be dangerous to reduce staffing as she has been hurt on the job in the past. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or “I’d like the Premier to come and work a day in our shoes to see you can’t strip us anymore. I don’t have time to take lunch or go to the bathroom all day and I go home to my kids exhausted,” Conceicoa said. Frank Severino, a Grade 7 teacher with the Toronto District Catholic School Board, says he had a good education growing up and fears today’s students won’t get the same and the kids care about that. “They didn’t just protest on Thursday to get out of school. Look how many are here on a Saturday,” he said. kconnor@postmedia.com Share this article in your social network Latest National Stories Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Toronto Sun Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Toronto SUN, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Email Address There was an error, please provide a valid email address. By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it please check your junk folder. The next issue of The Toronto Sun Headline News will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Trending<doc-sep>Send this page to someone via email TORONTO – Throngs of demonstrators covered the lawn in front of the Ontario legislature Saturday afternoon to protest the Progressive Conservative government’s changes to the provinces education system. Many in the crowd carried signs declaring “Cuts hurt kids” or “Standing together for students,” while others banged on drums or chanted slogans denouncing the government’s measures. READ MORE: Ontario students walk out of class over education changes The Tories under Premier Doug Ford have come under fire for recent changes including increasing class sizes, making students take more online courses and overhauling the province’s autism program. Sam Hammond, the head of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, opened his speech with a call-and-response session with the boisterous crowd. “Work with me here: If you’re here to stand up for and fight for children with autism and their parents…. If you’re here to protect publicly funded education…. Say ‘I am!”‘ Hammond shouted to raucous cheers. Story continues below advertisement Hammond’s union is one of five labour groups, representing education workers across Ontario, that organized Saturday’s rally. The ETFO said earlier in a statement that thousands of people were expected to attend and more than 170 buses were bringing teachers to the rally from as far away as Sudbury. The event followed mass student walkouts that took place across Ontario on Thursday, which Education Minister Lisa Thompson characterized as “political stunts” encouraged by unions. WATCH: Thousands of Ontario students skip class, protest Ford government education cuts 1:57 Thousands of Ontario students skip class, protest Ford government education cuts Thousands of Ontario students skip class, protest Ford government education cuts – Apr 4, 2019 Hammond forcefully denied that claim on Saturday, saying the student activism on display showed the province’s future is in good hands. Story continues below advertisement “Don’t forget, Doug Ford: those students are going to be voting in the next provincial election. And we’re voting with them!” he said. In a statement Friday, Thompson said the government would not be distracted by what she called “union tactics” such as protests and rallies. READ MORE: Ontario education minister defends higher class sizes by saying students need more resiliency “The fact is that Ontario’s teacher unions have been handed control of the education system for the past 15 years,” Thompson said. “Despite what unions say, their priority has not been student success and as a result our province’s math scores are dropping and our students find themselves falling further and further behind.” Thousands gathering now in Queens Park to protest education reforms made by the Ford Government. #Onpoli pic.twitter.com/uD1sSOJ1dF — Matthew Bingley (@mattybing) April 6, 2019 Story continues below advertisement Some different perspectives of the Education rally at Queens Park. Easily more than 10,000 people here. pic.twitter.com/tEi7G2sAxv — Matthew Bingley (@mattybing) April 6, 2019<doc-sep>
Teachers, students and parents covered the lawn in front of the Ontario legislature Saturday afternoon to protest the Ford government’s planned changes to the province’s education system. Many in the crowd carried signs declaring “Cuts hurt kids” or “Standing together for students,” while others banged on drums or chanted slogans denouncing the government’s measures. The rally comes on the heels of a student walkout Thursday that saw tens of thousands walk out of their classrooms with some marching to MPP office’s. The Ontario government has come under fire for a series of proposed cuts that include increasing class sizes, making students take more online courses and changes to autism support funding. More than 3,400 teaching jobs are set to disappear province-wide, most of them high school teachers, and all are set to come through attrition and retirement, according to government officials. The move is expected to save the government $851-million. Ontario Secondary School Teacher’s Federation President Harvey Bischof tells 680NEWS they are ready for a fight. “This government is trying to distract from their education policies by focusing on us instead of the policies themselves. Why don’t we focus on the fact that they are slashing teachers from the education system and slashing course options,” said Bischof. Sam Hammond, the head of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, opened his speech with a call-and-response session with the boisterous crowd. “Work with me here: If you’re here to stand up for and fight for children with autism and their parents…. If you’re here to protect publicly funded education…. Say ‘I am! '” Hammond shouted to raucous cheers. Hammond’s union is one of five labour groups, representing education workers across Ontario, that organized Saturday’s rally. Ontario premier Doug Ford tweeted out Saturday that his government will not be distracted from making the proposed changes, parroting what Education Minister Lisa Thompson said on Friday that the government would not be “distracted by union tactics” such as protests and rallies. “The fact is that Ontario’s teacher unions have been handed control of the education system for the past 15 years,” Thompson said. “Despite what unions say, their priority has not been student success and as a result our province’s math scores are dropping and our students find themselves falling further and further behind.” Hammond forcefully denied that claim on Saturday, saying the student activism on display showed the province’s future is in good hands. “Don’t forget, Doug Ford: those students are going to be voting in the next provincial election. And we’re voting with them!” he said. With files from The Canadian Press