Hello Fellow Travellers,
It is May and things are getting busier. Spring is being elusive. Dawn is dark and a bright day may end with a dull dusk.
At this time, more than ever, when the waves of “What Just Happened in Ontario’s Education?” dash over me, I need something to look forward to and hope for. As do you, I am sure.
On my long commutes, I listen to podcasts and I recently turned to Elementary: A Podcast from ETFO once again.
What always makes me smile on this podcast is listening to the voices of students because that is how each episode begins. This makes me sit up straighter and realign my purpose with the possibilities I can catalyze with students, colleagues and families, directly or indirectly.
A Recent Podcast
One such episode that is extremely important especially as we move through May and June is the conversation on why we (must) organize for public education. It features the keynote speaker from ETFO’s Political Action Conference Dr. Lana Parker who speaks about protecting and defending public education. The title is “Why We Organize for Public Education
Key Points of This Podcast
- Dr. Lana Parker holds a PhD from York University in Language, Culture and Teaching. Her research and writing focus on ethically informed pedagogy.
- The podcast highlights the reality that the underfunding of public education in Ontario did not happen suddenly and has “accumulated and accelerated over time”.
- Beginning from Mike Harris’ government in the mid-1990s when Board funding models were changed there has been, Dr.Parker says, “a slow erosion of the education funding envelope”.
- The podcast also highlights some effects of under-funding such as staff shortages, the nudge towards fundraising that school communities experience to make up the shortfall, the backlog of professionals such as support educators educational psychologists and other registered health professionals, as well as a decline in experiential learning and the arts.
- A demand for fees for extra curricular activities that make such important opportunities inaccessible for students based on their families’ means which widens the gap for their well rounded schooling.
- Educator burnout (we know this)
What stood out for me was the introduction of a critical idea of responsibilization → where beyond what you are responsible for, educators are made responsible for things that are out of our control due to underfunding.
| Responsibility →→ →→→→→→→→→→ →→ →→ Responsibilization (In this gap lie emotion, fatigue etc.)
The fatigue comes from being pulled between what one can do and what one is tasked to do due to underfunding. |
Why Does This Matter?
The website for Building Better Schools website has an Education Cuts Tracker.
While there is talk out there in general about education cuts it is not until you type in the name of a neighbourhood school and see the numbers, does this harsh reality connect differently.
Although my children are no longer in school, I entered the names of schools in my neighbourhood.
I sat and looked at the screen for a long time.
These are my neighbours’ children and grandchildren, these are the students who ride their bikes and wave to me as I walk in the park, these children are the future.
What Can You and I Do?
We can show up. We can participate. We can invite others to join us.
You do not have to wait long because All Member Meetings are happening.
All Member Meetings
Find Your Meetings here, register to attend as needed, do tell your colleagues and friends from across the province, share on socials.
If you are a member of my ETFO local, I will see you there.
Some Related Resources:
Class Action: How Ontario’s Elementary Teachers Became a Political Force
Connect to your Labour Community
Labour Organization Solidarity with Education Workers
Let’s talk.
With You, In Solidarity.
Rashmee Karnad-Jani
