Ontario teachers’ unions slam province for considering permanent online learning option
Ontario teachers’ unions are sounding the alarm after the provincial government announced its holding consultations on whether or not to make online learning options a permanent choice for families once the pandemic ends.
Union leaders and parents voiced their concerns during a news conference on Wednesday, saying the plans will undermine Ontario’s publically funded education system and will harm students.
“Their plan to make online classes permanent means a student could go from Kindergarten to Grade 12 without ever setting foot inside a school,” Sam Hammond, president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), told reporters.
“They’re planning to make virtual learning permanent while undermining Ontario’s publicly funded education system. It’s a plan that they’re busy working on behind closed doors during a global pandemic.”
According to a confidential presentation by the ministry of education first obtained by The Globe and Mail in March, the government is considering three forms of online school.
