February 23rd, 2016

Ontario’s most vulnerable students bear the brunt of Liberal education cuts: NDP

With reports of students with special needs being kicked out of Ontario’s publicly-funded schools indefinitely, Children & Youth Services critic Monique Taylor (MPP for Hamilton Mountain) demanded the Liberal government finally come clean and admit their cuts to education are leaving our most vulnerable children behind.

“Underfunding special education resources to the point where students with unique needs are excluded from class is disgraceful,” said Taylor. “Accommodating students with special educational needs should be at the forefront of this government’s education plan—not an afterthought.”

Last year’s Liberal budget cut $248 million from education in the province, including more than $6 million in special education cuts to Toronto school boards alone. 

A recent report on students kicked out of schools indefinitely cited education experts who warned these exclusions can hurt already vulnerable children.

“The results of underfunding in education are clear: countless educational assistants have been fired, supports in the classrooms are at an all-time low, and kids with unique needs out of the classroom with no options or timelines,” said Taylor. “Can the minister please explain why she doesn’t think that all kids in Ontario deserve equal access to education?”