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.