‘We’re co-ordinated, we’re united,’ Oct. 11

While Isabel Teotonio’s article demonstrates that parents and students understand the negative impacts of educational cuts, we still have to ask when will the Ford government notice that teachers are a fundamental part of the overall success of students? It has been stated that the Ford government wants to cut back on the number of teachers for cost benefits, but at what expense? It is at the expense of students like myself, who will be our future. This cut will not only increase class sizes and require more online learning, which studies have proven have no positive impact on one’s learning, but it also reduces the amount of one-on-one time students can receive from their teacher, which is a key aspect for active and progressive learning. This impact will be reflected in future generations to come. Along with current students who are confused and struggling in an overcrowded class, all because there is not enough time for all the students to receive the individualized help they need and are entitled to. In an era where face-to-face communication is already limited and technology takes over every aspect of a child’s life, we’d hope at least while in school these students could learn socialization and communication skills, but instead they will be lost in the large classes, just because the Ford government wants to hypothetically save money.

As a community, we need to invest in our children. These cutbacks will not only affect the children now but the adults that they will become, which in turn will be the adults governing us.

Diana Malatesta, Hamilton

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