TORONTO, ON – The following is a statement from the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) on Bill 98, The Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act:
“Earlier today, the Minister of Education Stephen Lecce tabled new legislation intended to ‘refocus’ the education system and improve outcomes for students in Ontario. It is the second time in two days that ETFO has been caught off-guard by Ministry of Education announcements, demonstrating a clear lack of consideration and respect for education stakeholders.
The draft legislation was developed without collaboration or input from ETFO. Today, we were asked to provide input by mid-May. But given their track record, we do not believe the request for feedback is genuine. The voices of ETFO’s 83,000 members, who have a vested interest in better student outcomes, deserve to be heard.