Latest news with #OSBCU
National Post
29-05-2025
- General
- National Post
OSBCU Responds to New Education Legislation: 'Police in Schools Won't Fix an Understaffed, Underfunded System'
Article content TORONTO — Earlier today, the Ford government and Education Minister Paul Calandra introduced the Supporting Children and Students Act, 2025, which includes provisions to make it easier for the province to take control of local school boards and mandates School Resource Officers (SROs)—police—in schools. Article content Article content In response, the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU) is sounding the alarm. 'This legislation does nothing to address the real crisis in Ontario education: chronic underfunding and critical understaffing,' said Joe Tigani, President of the OSBCU. 'Instead of investing in more frontline education workers to support students and reduce violence in schools, the government is choosing to bring police into classrooms—a failed, harmful experiment that puts Black, Indigenous, and other racialized students at greater risk.' Article content These legislative changes represent a direct attack on the democratic governance and autonomy of school boards, allowing the government to exert greater control over decisions that may seem minor—such as naming rights or ancillary fees—but which have real impacts on equity and support for students. Forcing boards to implement police presence in schools is another example of this overreach. Putting police in schools does nothing to address the root issue: the lack of supports for staff and students due to years of chronic underfunding. The funds earmarked for this ineffective and harmful initiative would be far better spent on hiring permanent, full-time education workers who are trained to support students. Article content 'Forcing the return of police into schools is a deeply regressive move that ignores the lived experiences of those most affected—particularly Black, Indigenous, and other racialized students,' said Jehan Bisnauth, Educational Assistant with the Durham District School Board and Equity Representative on the OSBCU Executive. 'The Ontario Human Rights Commission has made clear recommendations on creating safer, more inclusive schools, and this legislation disregards them entirely. Police in schools are not the answer to anything. Our students need trained, compassionate education workers—not officers—in their classrooms.' Article content Since 2018, the Ford government has shortchanged public education by over $12 billion in cumulative funding. In the current school year alone, boards are operating with a $2.3 billion shortfall due to inflation and enrollment outpacing funding. The results have been devastating: fewer supports, unmanageable workloads, and growing inequities in our schools for staff and students. Article content Today's legislation is the first introduced by Minister Calandra, and it sends a troubling message: rather than provide meaningful support, the government is choosing centralized control. When asked about governance, the Minister's response — 'everything is on the table'— reveals a willingness to further undermine public accountability of education and the role of democratically elected school board trustees. This is yet another example of the Ford government's total disregard for local democracy. Article content 'This is not about safety or respect—it's about power,' Tigani said. 'If this government was serious about tackling the real issues, it would be hiring thousands of new education workers, not giving the Minister more authoritarian powers.' Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
OSBCU Responds to New Education Legislation: "Police in Schools Won't Fix an Understaffed, Underfunded System"
TORONTO, May 29, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Earlier today, the Ford government and Education Minister Paul Calandra introduced the Supporting Children and Students Act, 2025, which includes provisions to make it easier for the province to take control of local school boards and mandates School Resource Officers (SROs)—police—in schools. In response, the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU) is sounding the alarm. "This legislation does nothing to address the real crisis in Ontario education: chronic underfunding and critical understaffing," said Joe Tigani, President of the OSBCU. "Instead of investing in more frontline education workers to support students and reduce violence in schools, the government is choosing to bring police into classrooms—a failed, harmful experiment that puts Black, Indigenous, and other racialized students at greater risk." These legislative changes represent a direct attack on the democratic governance and autonomy of school boards, allowing the government to exert greater control over decisions that may seem minor—such as naming rights or ancillary fees—but which have real impacts on equity and support for students. Forcing boards to implement police presence in schools is another example of this overreach. Putting police in schools does nothing to address the root issue: the lack of supports for staff and students due to years of chronic underfunding. The funds earmarked for this ineffective and harmful initiative would be far better spent on hiring permanent, full-time education workers who are trained to support students. "Forcing the return of police into schools is a deeply regressive move that ignores the lived experiences of those most affected—particularly Black, Indigenous, and other racialized students," said Jehan Bisnauth, Educational Assistant with the Durham District School Board and Equity Representative on the OSBCU Executive. "The Ontario Human Rights Commission has made clear recommendations on creating safer, more inclusive schools, and this legislation disregards them entirely. Police in schools are not the answer to anything. Our students need trained, compassionate education workers—not officers—in their classrooms." Since 2018, the Ford government has shortchanged public education by over $12 billion in cumulative funding. In the current school year alone, boards are operating with a $2.3 billion shortfall due to inflation and enrollment outpacing funding. The results have been devastating: fewer supports, unmanageable workloads, and growing inequities in our schools for staff and students. Today's legislation is the first introduced by Minister Calandra, and it sends a troubling message: rather than provide meaningful support, the government is choosing centralized control. When asked about governance, the Minister's response — "everything is on the table"— reveals a willingness to further undermine public accountability of education and the role of democratically elected school board trustees. This is yet another example of the Ford government's total disregard for local democracy. "This is not about safety or respect—it's about power," Tigani said. "If this government was serious about tackling the real issues, it would be hiring thousands of new education workers, not giving the Minister more authoritarian powers." View source version on Contacts For more information, contact:Shannon CarrancoCUPE Communicationsscarranco@ 514-703-8358 Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Wire
OSBCU Responds to New Education Legislation: "Police in Schools Won't Fix an Understaffed, Underfunded System"
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Earlier today, the Ford government and Education Minister Paul Calandra introduced the Supporting Children and Students Act, 2025, which includes provisions to make it easier for the province to take control of local school boards and mandates School Resource Officers (SROs)—police—in schools. In response, the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU) is sounding the alarm. 'This legislation does nothing to address the real crisis in Ontario education: chronic underfunding and critical understaffing,' said Joe Tigani, President of the OSBCU. 'Instead of investing in more frontline education workers to support students and reduce violence in schools, the government is choosing to bring police into classrooms—a failed, harmful experiment that puts Black, Indigenous, and other racialized students at greater risk.' These legislative changes represent a direct attack on the democratic governance and autonomy of school boards, allowing the government to exert greater control over decisions that may seem minor—such as naming rights or ancillary fees—but which have real impacts on equity and support for students. Forcing boards to implement police presence in schools is another example of this overreach. Putting police in schools does nothing to address the root issue: the lack of supports for staff and students due to years of chronic underfunding. The funds earmarked for this ineffective and harmful initiative would be far better spent on hiring permanent, full-time education workers who are trained to support students. 'Forcing the return of police into schools is a deeply regressive move that ignores the lived experiences of those most affected—particularly Black, Indigenous, and other racialized students,' said Jehan Bisnauth, Educational Assistant with the Durham District School Board and Equity Representative on the OSBCU Executive. 'The Ontario Human Rights Commission has made clear recommendations on creating safer, more inclusive schools, and this legislation disregards them entirely. Police in schools are not the answer to anything. Our students need trained, compassionate education workers—not officers—in their classrooms.' Since 2018, the Ford government has shortchanged public education by over $12 billion in cumulative funding. In the current school year alone, boards are operating with a $2.3 billion shortfall due to inflation and enrollment outpacing funding. The results have been devastating: fewer supports, unmanageable workloads, and growing inequities in our schools for staff and students. Today's legislation is the first introduced by Minister Calandra, and it sends a troubling message: rather than provide meaningful support, the government is choosing centralized control. When asked about governance, the Minister's response — 'everything is on the table'— reveals a willingness to further undermine public accountability of education and the role of democratically elected school board trustees. This is yet another example of the Ford government's total disregard for local democracy. 'This is not about safety or respect—it's about power,' Tigani said. 'If this government was serious about tackling the real issues, it would be hiring thousands of new education workers, not giving the Minister more authoritarian powers.'
National Post
26-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
OSBCU: Ford's Status Quo Education Budget Fails Students, Parents, and Workers
Article content TORONTO — The Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU), representing over 57,000 frontline education workers, is raising serious concerns following the provincial government's 2025 core education funding announcement, which continues to ignore the escalating crises in Ontario's public education system. Article content Article content Despite claims of increased funding, the funding announcement fails to deliver the investment needed to address chronic understaffing, systemic deficits, and rampant violence in classrooms across Ontario. Instead, the government's announcement simply maintains the status quo, masking deep structural issues with misleading figures. Article content Key budget highlights: Article content Total school board funding for 2025-2026 is projected at $30.3 billion — a 3.3 percent increase over last year. However, with enrolment up 0.6 percent and inflation rising, real per-pupil funding is only increasing by 0.3 percent — a minimal change that remains far below what students and schools need. Apparent increases in funding are predominately due to previously negotiated wage settlements. This funding does not add staff, expand services, or improve student supports. In the provincial budget released on May 15, the government projected meagre increases to total education funding of $100K (0.24%) in 2026-2027 and $200K (0.49%) in 2027-2028. Clearly this government's long-term plans are to continue to starve the education system of the resources students, parents, and workers need. Boards are still bracing for job cuts, as this budget is unlikely to change the trajectory of announced job reductions — exacerbating the staffing crisis and undermining already strained school operations. Article content 'There is a clear crisis in Ontario's public education system and the Ford government has turned their backs on education staff and students in their 2025 budget. There are no major policy changes, no new support for school boards in deficit, and nothing to address the real crisis in understaffing in public education,' says Joe Tigani, President of the OSBCU. 'This budget isn't just disappointing — it's dangerous.' Article content While the Ford government's budget on May 15 announced $30 billion over 10 years for new schools and childcare spaces, it offered no plan or funding for the education workers needed to staff them outside of teachers — a step that ignores the understaffing crisis facing thousands of overburdened frontline education staff across all job classifications. Article content 'Students deserve well-resourced schools and education workers deserve respect and fair working conditions,' says Tigani. 'That means providing immediate and substantial new funding to address staffing shortages across all education worker classifications, restoring real per-pupil funding to meet actual student and school needs, and implementing a funding strategy that reflects inflation and enrolment. The OSBCU will continue to fight until this government delivers the funding that public education in Ontario desperately needs.' Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Article content
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
OSBCU: Ford's Status Quo Education Budget Fails Students, Parents, and Workers
TORONTO, May 26, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU), representing over 57,000 frontline education workers, is raising serious concerns following the provincial government's 2025 core education funding announcement, which continues to ignore the escalating crises in Ontario's public education system. Despite claims of increased funding, the funding announcement fails to deliver the investment needed to address chronic understaffing, systemic deficits, and rampant violence in classrooms across Ontario. Instead, the government's announcement simply maintains the status quo, masking deep structural issues with misleading figures. Key budget highlights: Total school board funding for 2025-2026 is projected at $30.3 billion — a 3.3 percent increase over last year. However, with enrolment up 0.6 percent and inflation rising, real per-pupil funding is only increasing by 0.3 percent — a minimal change that remains far below what students and schools need. Apparent increases in funding are predominately due to previously negotiated wage settlements. This funding does not add staff, expand services, or improve student supports. In the provincial budget released on May 15, the government projected meagre increases to total education funding of $100K (0.24%) in 2026-2027 and $200K (0.49%) in 2027-2028. Clearly this government's long-term plans are to continue to starve the education system of the resources students, parents, and workers need. Boards are still bracing for job cuts, as this budget is unlikely to change the trajectory of announced job reductions — exacerbating the staffing crisis and undermining already strained school operations. "There is a clear crisis in Ontario's public education system and the Ford government has turned their backs on education staff and students in their 2025 budget. There are no major policy changes, no new support for school boards in deficit, and nothing to address the real crisis in understaffing in public education," says Joe Tigani, President of the OSBCU. "This budget isn't just disappointing — it's dangerous." While the Ford government's budget on May 15 announced $30 billion over 10 years for new schools and childcare spaces, it offered no plan or funding for the education workers needed to staff them outside of teachers — a step that ignores the understaffing crisis facing thousands of overburdened frontline education staff across all job classifications. "Students deserve well-resourced schools and education workers deserve respect and fair working conditions," says Tigani. "That means providing immediate and substantial new funding to address staffing shortages across all education worker classifications, restoring real per-pupil funding to meet actual student and school needs, and implementing a funding strategy that reflects inflation and enrolment. The OSBCU will continue to fight until this government delivers the funding that public education in Ontario desperately needs." About the OSBCU The Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU) represents over 57,000 frontline education workers in Ontario's publicly funded schools, including educational assistants, custodians, early childhood educators, clerical staff, and more. :kl/cope491 View source version on Contacts For more information, contact:Shannon CarrancoCUPE Communicationsscarranco@ 514-703-8358 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
