QUEENS PARK — Mike Schreiner released the following statement after news of cuts to 3,475 teaching positions in Ontario:
“The Premier’s cuts are a direct threat to quality education in Ontario.
Our students will pay the price for the Premier’s cuts. And I admire them for walking out of class yesterday to defend their education. I encourage the Premier to listen and keep his promise not to cut jobs.
My heart goes out to teachers across the province who are receiving layoff notices. Clearly the Education Minister was misleading us when she continuously denied reports of job losses.
Students will be the ones who suffer the most from 3,500 fewer teachers, ballooning class sizes, and forced e-learning. The Premier is putting their futures on the line.
If job cuts weren’t bad enough, the government set up phone lines to snitch on teachers; insulted teachers’ abilities and made false accusations about orchestrating walkouts.
Teachers and our kids deserve so much better than this disrespectful treatment.”