THUNDER BAY – NEWS – NDP MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell (Thunder Bay-Atikokan) hosted a full-house of concerned constituents in the Community Room at Mary J. L. Black Library on Saturday morning.
Teachers, union representatives, school board trustees, parents, and more gathered to discuss their concerns about the Ford government’s announced cuts to education.
“We are very concerned about the impact these cuts will have on students – especially those in Northwestern Ontario,” says Monteith-Farrell.
Many attendees spoke about their experiences with teaching or participating in e-learning courses, and expressed concern that it is not the best teaching tool or even a feasible option for many students. One teacher mentioned that she already has three students who come to her classroom during lunch time to use the computer and complete their regular homework, as they don’t have access to one at home.
Worries regarding larger class sizes and fewer stable jobs for teachers were also frequently brought up by multiple speakers.
Following the town hall, Monteith-Farrell participated in a province-wide day of action against cuts to education. Monteith-Farrell and volunteers spoke with constituents and distributed petitions at the Thunder Bay Country Market, the Mothers Yard Sale, and the Hub Bazaar’s Spring Fling.
“Across the community educators, parents, students – and even those without children have expressed their worry over these cuts,” said Monteith-Farrell. “The message was clear: the majority of people in Thunder Bay are not happy about these cuts.”
