QUEEN’S PARK — Mike Schreiner issued the following statement after the Premier’s press conference:
“The Premier keeps saying that the Crowded Classrooms Plan that his government is promoting is not his plan for back to school.
He claims it’s been designed by experts. Well the experts have been clear.
The recent Sick Kids report explicitly states: ‘Addressing…large classes, small classrooms and poor ventilation, must be part of any plan to reopen schools.’
Instead of taking ownership of his decision to cherry pick recommendations and refusal to cut class sizes, the Premier is doubling down on his bad math by suggesting 30 kids with two educators in the room equals 15 kids per class.
The Premier is dangerously ignoring the reality that all 30 kids will still be crammed into the same classroom.
And true to the Premier’s form, he returned to the old Tory line: the call for smaller class sizes is just the unions playing politics.
The truth is parents and educators are very worried. Unions are worried too.
It’s time for the Premier to take responsibility. A safe back to school plan has to address class sizes.”