The president of District 8 of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation appealed to trustees of the Avon Maitland District School Board to be more vocal in their support of teachers in their dispute with the Province over a new contact.
Shane Restall pointed out OSSTF has taken what he called very bold action in standing up for class sizes and supports for students with high needs.
“OSSTF has taken pretty bold action to stand up for class sizes and for supports for students with high needs and for our schools and our trustees, who are supposed to be a partner, have been quiet.”
Restall presented about 800 letters from OSSTF members asking trustees and their organization, the Ontario Public School Boards Association, show their support for Ontario students and schools.
Restall maintained negotiations have been quiet as far as the OPSBA has been concerned and very political. He said with a strong voice from the OPSBA, they wonder what is being said behind the scenes and if the OPSBA is supporting the government or the teachers.
“This is nothing but a quiet negotiation and it's very much a political negotiation and without their strong voice standing up for students, we wonder what is being said behind the scenes, whether they're on the side of the government that wants to take money out of our Ontario classrooms.”
