Election is chance to influence what happens in our schools

Election after election, the future of our public schools has been a deciding issue. Despite intense voter interest, school issues are too often handled as short rehearsed and packaged sound bites.

This election will be different.

Across Ontario on Sept. 20, all-candidates debates will be held that focus solely on education. It is your chance to ask candidates about the education policies that they support and will work for if they are elected.

Using law, the province decides what is taught in our schools.

They decide how much of our provincial taxes are used to pay for schools (education is the second biggest item in the budget), as well as setting class size targets, report card and testing standards and expectations for kindness, inclusiveness and safety in our schools.

Ministry of Education policy strongly influences teacher training, the availability of classroom learning technology and the terms of collective agreements with teachers and other school staff.

School boards are required by law to work within the rules set by the province.

In short, the outcome of the provincial election directly affects our public schools, which are the foundation of the future prosperity and civility of Ontario.

If you think that the Ontario education system can be improved, you and your neighbours now have a chance to influence what happens in our schools over the next four years by voting for the local candidate who has the strongest commitment, the clearest plan and the best ideas to ensure that Ontario’s children have the education they — and we as a province need to succeed.

To help Ontarians make this choice, public school trustees across the province have declared Sept. 20 Education Day and are hosting debates with local candidates in their ridings strictly on our school system.

Show our candidates and future MPPs that our schools matter to you.

Ask them the questions about what matters to you in our schools so they can bring your ideas to their caucus after the election.

Make plans to be at your local Education Day candidates’ debate.

Eglinton-Lawrence
John Polanyi CI, 640 Lawrence Ave. West, Sept. 20, 7 p.m.
Hosted by trustee Howard Goodman

Don Valley West
York Mills CI, 490 York Mills Rd, Sept. 20, 7 p.m.
Hosted by trustee Gerri Gershon

St Paul’s
Northern Secondary School, 851 Mount Pleasant Rd., Sept. 20, 7 p.m.
Hosted by trustee Shelley Laskin

Go to [url]www.TDSB.on.ca/EducationDay[/url] for more information, or contact me at [email]Howard.Goodman@tdsb.on.ca[/email].