Ontario teachers are sounding alarm bells this World Teachers' Day, urging parents to contact their provincial members of parliament to oppose Bill 33.
The bill, introduced in the spring, would give the provincial government more oversight of school board finances.
Local ETFO President Mario Spagnuolo said they believe limiting funding for provincial school boards and removing local decision-making bodies will open the door for private schools.
"They're trying to defund the public systems so that people see the private system as more attractive, and when you do tha,t you create a society of have and have-nots, and we already see that happening. It's going to be even more stark in the future if this trend continues," said Spagnuolo.
Local teachers' unions say the lack of resources is leading to students being left behind and more violence in the classroom. They're urging parents to speak out against funding cuts and proposed changes to the school board system.
"The most important voice is parent voice. We need parents to speak up because we have seen the Ford government, a very populist government, change their tune when the public gets riled up and says that's enough," said Spagnuolo.
World Teachers Day is on October 5, 2025.
