London-area teachers union leaders are slamming any suggestion that Thames Valley District school board budget woes are related to educator sick days or long-term leaves.
It’s inadequate funding from Queen’s Park, not the costs related to substitute teachers, that have driven the London-based school board’s spending shortfall, says John Bernans, a local leader with the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation.
“Blaming workers for the budget shortfall is unfair,” he said. “The underfunding of education is the root cause of the budget shortfall.”