Premier Ford prioritizes the economy over education (original attached)

TORONTO, ON—Today’s announcement by the Ford government to continue remote learning for Ontario’s students clearly shows that the Premier is prioritizing economic reopening over education and school reopening.

“We clearly see that Doug Ford’s so-called consultation with medical experts and education stakeholders last week was never anything more than a political charade in which he attempted to find scapegoats for his decision today,” said OSSTF/FEESO President Harvey Bischof.

The continued chaos and uncertainty in education over the past year are mainly due to the government’s inability to listen to evidence-informed medical advice and failure to consult education stakeholders. Had the government implemented the recommendations proposed by medical professionals, the current situation may well have been avoided.

“We call on the Ford government to come to the table to listen to the medical experts and education stakeholders to engage in genuine consultations to prepare a school reopening plan for September that will be safe for students, families, education staff and communities. Come September, schools must not only be safe; they must also be sufficiently resourced to take the steps necessary to remediate the academic and social/emotional disruptions students have suffered,” concluded Bischof.