Local teachers’ union reacts to province’s new education legislation

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) was swift to react to the education minister’s announcement on May 29.

In a statement that same day, it said:

“ETFO strongly opposes the Ford government’s latest legislative proposal that grants the Minister of Education additional powers to more easily place elected school boards under supervision and that forces the presence of police officers in schools. This is not education reform; it’s authoritarianism cloaked in the language of accountability designed to deflect blame, suppress dissenting voices, and tighten political control over a public education system this government has failed to adequately fund.”

Paul Calandra announced the new legislation, saying he would be tightening the reins and introducing more oversight of school boards.

“We have some boards that are working very well…they’re focused on the main mission, and other boards where I have trustees who think that they’re supposed to be writing curriculum, trustees who think that it is their job to mediate global conflicts,” he said, just prior to introducing the legislation.

The legislation expands the Ministry of Education’s ability to investigate or appoint supervision over a school board for issues beyond just financial matters.

ETFO Waterloo Region, President, Jeff Pelich told The Mike Farwell Show this legislation should be raising eyebrows.

“I think that anybody from all sides of the political spectrum needs to have concerns when a government is looking at overruling democratically elected trustees and their decision-making to force their own agenda and their own ideologies.”

Premier Doug Ford has stated several times since being reelected that he has been given a strong mandate by the voters to execute his vision for the province.

Pelich points out, that’s not the case here in Waterloo Region.

“Let’s be clear about one thing, our provincial government, at least locally, did not get the majority of the votes from the citizens of Waterloo Region. In fact, the three PC MPPs were under 50 per cent of the votes, whereas these trustees are locally elected.”

This new legislation would also require school boards to reinstate school resource officer (SRO) programs if the local police department offers them.

The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) ended its SRO program in 2021 after extensive consultation and debate. Trustees cited research showing the negative impacts of SRO programs on students, particularly Black, Indigenous and other racialized students.