In Ontario, it's getting wider and deeper. Education Minister Lisa Thompson announced this week that by increasing average class size in the province's high schools, students would be prepared "for the reality of post-secondary, as well as the world of work."
Remember, she was talking average class sizes. What that means is that lots of classes will be in the 35 to 40 student range. That's not alarmist. I taught back in the days when the average was 28. I routinely taught classes of 36 to 38 students.
The Minister has been smoking something funny. Kristi Rushowy writes:
Thompson’s comment drew the ire of educators, with one calling it “outlandish.”
“There is no evidence that larger class sizes increase resiliency,” said Harvey Bischof, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, adding that as class sizes have shrunk in recent years, student achievement and graduation rates have shot up.
The minister, he said, “hedges, obfuscates and spins” to avoid talking about the cuts being made to education, accusing the Ford government of being “willing to sacrifice quality” to save money.
Andrea Horvath understands what's going on:
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath accused the Ford government of cutting $1 billion from education, “cramming more students into crowded classrooms” and turning the system into the “Hunger Games.”
“I mean, if students are being told they’ve got to make it on their own, they’ve got to fight for (teacher) attention, the government is bringing the Hunger Games into our schools,” she said, referring to the popular books and movies about a dystopian society where youth are forced to fight one another to the death.
The government has estimated it will save about $250 million in the first year alone with the loss of teaching positions.
Like most modern conservatives, the Fordians know the cost of everything and the value of nothing. That's why, in Ontario, the stuff that comes out of the back end of a cow keeps getting wider and deeper.
Image: Organic Fertilizers
6 comments:
It seems that Ford wants to educate today's youth by helping them become as mean spirited as the elites. By preparing them for a "dog eat dog" world it justifies austerity and strengthens the resolve of those inflicting the pain. What troubles me is that four years is a long time for those who are suffering. Me, I'm sixty five and quite used to the bullshit. I'm like a super tanker, you can't turn my cynicism around!
The young do not concern these folks, zoombats. It's all about me and it's all about now.
As a retired metal shop teacher, I can't imagine safely running a shop with 28 or more students. Depending on the make up of the class, even keeping 24 students safe and on task presented a daily challenge. Quality education doesn't matter to Ford and the Cons. The bottom line is, like all conservative endeavours, they want to burn down public education in Ontario and when parents are fed up they will come up with a plan to "fix it" through privatization.
I agree, Percival. Twenty-eight kids at power saws or lathes is a disaster waiting to happen.
agreed "28 children with power saws or lathes is a disaster waiting to happen". However, it won't be their children, so they really don't care. if there are injuries, accidents, the solution is easy, cancel the classes. Its not like their children will be in them. They'll be in private school.
During the years B.C. had the B.C. Liebercons, Gordon Campbell, they increased class sizes, stopped building news schools so there were almost more portables than regular schools, schools boards' budgets were cut so severely they had to eliminate teachers' aides. What is going on in Ontario simply looks like the fine touch of one of Ford's advisors, the former premier of B.C., Gordon Campbell.
what we did see during the 16 year reign of the politicians against public education was an increase in private schools. In some school districts the lack of help for children with learning disabilities simply resulted in parents removing their children from public schools and home schooling.
The people of Ontario voted for Ford, now they can live with it and their children may die because of it. Do trust they're happy now.
Precisely, e.a.f. It won't be their choldren. They've written off the majority of the population. The minority elected them. And it looks like it'll remain that way for quite awhile.
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