“We need funding, and we need it now.”
That urgent call is being directed at provincial politicians by the presidents of two associations representing Catholic teachers in Oakville, Burlington, Milton, and Halton Hills.
Concerned over the ongoing deterioration of Ontario’s publicly-funded education system, the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association has inspired the two presidents to address the situation. Vanessa Slee, president of the Halton Secondary Unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association, and Tara Hambly, president of the Halton Elementary Unit, have penned an open letter to Conservative MPPs and the Minister of Education.
Titled “Our Kids Are Not OK,” the letter sheds light on critical issues impacting teachers and students:
Rising school violence, affecting both students and teachers emotionally and physically.
Overcrowded classrooms that hinder teachers' ability to provide one-on-one support.
A growing teacher recruitment and retention crisis, exacerbated by overwork and burnout, which teachers say the Ford government is ignoring.
“The system is at a breaking point,” Slee stated, noting that even experienced teachers are leaving the profession due to exhaustion. “There are cracks in the system, and action must be taken immediately.”
Hambly highlighted the Halton Catholic District School Board’s alarming $25 million deficit, pointing out that funding for classroom supplies has remained stagnant despite inflation. “When I started teaching 20 years ago, teachers received about $100 per year for supplies. That number has barely changed—now it’s only $150, which breaks down to $5 to $10 per student.”
Both Slee and Hambly attribute the resource shortages to deliberate underfunding by Doug Ford’s government. Slee emphasized that teachers are advocating for what’s best for students: “We need to set them up for success so they can be leaders in our society in the future.”
The lack of educational assistants and mental health professionals forces teachers into roles they aren’t trained for, contributing to early burnout. “Teachers are expected to wear all the hats and take on all the roles,” said Hambly. “That’s part of what’s driving burnout. Society’s long waits for social services also fall back on teachers.”
Hambly also connected the rise in school violence, even at the elementary level, to insufficient funding: “Violence has increased, and I don’t blame the students. They’re not receiving the support they need, and it’s frustrating for them.”
The open letter concludes with a plea for immediate government action: “Catholic teachers want to work in an environment where students can thrive. But we can’t keep doing more with less. Halton Catholic teachers are on the front lines of this crisis, and we live these issues every day. Our students deserve better. It’s time for real, sustained investments in education.”
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