News & Actions Student walkouts were held at schools across the province May 15th to tackle isuues such as the new curriculum and high tuitions. If you are a student who would like to get involved in the campaign for a better education system, let us know, and post your comments on our discussion forum! A letter has just been written to inform the incoming premier, Ernie Eves and education minister, Elizabeth Witmer of our issues. It outlines our positions, on behalf of the students of Ontario. Premier Ernie Eves responded to thank us for the information and to say the ministers would respond. They have not as of present. Dear Mr. Eves, We would like to begin by congratulating you on your new position, on behalf of the students of Ontario. We are high school students concerned with our futures, and we would like to work with you in order to improve the education system to better meet the needs of the students, teachers, and the government. Over the last seven years, the government has made several significant changes to the education system, some good and some bad. It is the general consensus that the education system was in need of improvement. However, most students and teachers feel that the changes were implemented improperly. We hope that you will have the leadership qualities, humility and concern for our needs to rectify the mistakes made by your government. There are a number of issues that concern us. First and foremost, the reduction of the education budget has hindered the ability of the school boards to purchase the proper materials and resources for an effective school system. Due to these cutbacks, such necessary components of the learning experience as extra-curricular activities, arts programs, library personnel and materials have been depleted. Science and technology programs have been negatively affected. Even the most basic needs of a school such as adequate textbooks and supplies are not available. We live in a society where soap and toiletries are generally accepted as necessary items in public facilities. However, many schools are forced to sacrifice these essential items due to lack of money. Despite government attempts, class sizes remain unacceptably high due to the fact that there is a lack of teachers in the system. This is caused by an unwillingness of the school boards to hire teachers because of the lack of funding, and because of unnecessary pressures on current teachers which are discouraging young people from entering the profession. A typical new-curriculum math course may have 32 students. Because of this, teachers are unable to provide adequate assistance with individual students. The government was created to defend the needs and rights of the people, with no discrimination or exceptions. However, students with special needs have been undermined and had their needs ignored. Those in the most need of the government's help are not receiving it, because the government refuses to provide the funding to assist them. We hope that you, as a responsible leader and a concerned Canadian, are as outraged by this injustice as we are. For all the above reasons, we request that the funding formula be seriously reviewed ant that a considerable portion of the roughly $2.5 billion be reinvested into public education as soon as possible. We also need definite assurance that funds going into the private school sector will never compromise the efficiency of the public system. In the case of a lack of government revenue, we expect your government to repeal the tax credit in order to avoid cutting one extra penny from Ontario's public services. We understand the government has tried to provide its assurances that the next issue will not be a problem. However, the upcoming double cohort still worries many students and parents. There have been no definitive actions to accommodate the increase of students who will be attending colleges and universities beginning in 2003. The universities have asked for an additional $100 million to cope with the unprecedented influx in participants. Money spent on partisan government advertising in the last several years well exceeds what universities require to secure our future. Universities such as Carleton, Toronto, and Ryerson have commented that adequate space will not be available for the cohort if government grants do not increase. A system must be immediately established so both groups of students are treated equally. A recent report proves that Ontario is last among the provinces in post-secondary education funding, and will be doomed at crunch time. We demand that tuition be frozen. Education was meant to be for all, not determined by the economic conditions of a few; a 2% cap does not undo the damage of the past decade. We do not want our programs to be deregulated. The current and upcoming postsecondary students of Ontario remain defiant in their struggles. Standardized testing has recently been introduced, and we have yet to see its so-called benefits. All we ask is that you prove to us that the children taking these tests will not become unwilling pawns in a privatization scheme. What is the purpose of showing a school's rating in the National Post if nothing is being done to help suffering schools? Tests must not become the backbone of the curriculum. We are now exploring the variety of ways in which people can absorb information. Testing assists few in the learning process. To judge a student based on these tests is both irresponsible and inappropriate. The new curriculum has given students more grief than hope, more despair than love for learning. Those who designed the new curriculum now realize they moved much too quickly. It is time for the ministry to begin to listen to the people who were previously pushed aside; this includes both teachers and students. The students may benefit more from the curriculum if the development of the courses is made more accessible to the public. It is general knowledge that it is difficult for people and groups in positions of power to admit when they have made a mistake. However, we are confident you will have the strength to make the proper changes in order to improve our success, and not allow pride to threaten our futures. It is reassuring to know that your consultative government will recognize the students of today as the future, and the electorate, of tomorrow. We ask you to respond to us personally, or, if you would prefer, have the education minister contact us, either by phone or mail, so that we may continue to work with you on behalf of concerned students. Sincerely, Teens for OUR Education Ontario Student Federatives cc: Hon. Elizabeth Witmer Hon. Dianne Cunningham Rosario Marchese Gerard Kennedy People for Education ALL OF YOUR MPP's ADDRESSES CAN BE FOUND AT: |
What we want from the provicial government: 1) Put more funds into the PUBLIC education system by fixing the funding formula. Money must go into our libraries, arts programs (music, drama, visual art), bussing, special needs programs, technologies and other "non-essential" school programs. 2) Adequately prepare us for our postsecondary education (for 2003), and work with colleges & universities to prepare before it's too late. 3) Lower & freeze our tuitions fees, which have doubled in this government's term, by providing the necessary funding and grants. 4) Eliminate TAG / TAP. Most every high school student knows that this program is a waste of class time! On top of this, it is boring and takes away 1200+ minutes/school year which we could be spending trying to absorb the new curriculum! After all, the ministry guidlines in our classes don't even give time for TAG/TAP. 5) Fix our troubling curriculum which is failing the students. End grade pegging and standardized testing. 6) Simply, that the government will stop ignoring us, and listen to the students, those who the changes are affecting. Also, not to make any further changes until the current ones are at least solved in everyone's interest! See the discussion forum for these issues discussed in more depth. We appreciate your feedback on these issues. E-mail us if you have any questions or comments. |
Ontario Teens For Our Education |
rebellion_2001@hotmail.com |
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What we want from the provicial government: 1) Put more funds into the PUBLIC education system by fixing the funding formula. Money must go into our libraries, arts programs (music, drama, visual art), bussing, special needs programs, technologies and other "non-essential" school programs. 2) Adequately prepare us for our postsecondary education (for 2003), and work with colleges & universities to prepare before it's too late. 3) Lower & freeze our tuitions fees, which have doubled in this government's term, by providing the necessary funding and grants. 4) Eliminate TAG / TAP. Most every high school student knows that this program is a waste of class time! On top of this, it is boring and takes away 1200+ minutes/school year which we could be spending trying to absorb the new curriculum! After all, the ministry guidlines in our classes don't even give time for TAG/TAP. 5) Fix our troubling curriculum which is failing the students. End grade pegging and standardized testing. 6) Simply, that the government will stop ignoring us, and listen to the students, those who the changes are affecting. Also, not to make any further changes until the current ones are at least solved in everyone's interest! See the discussion forum for these issues discussed in more depth. We appreciate your feedback on these issues. E-mail us if you have any questions or comments. |
News & Actions Student walkouts were held at schools across the province May 15th to tackle isuues such as the new curriculum and high tuitions. If you are a student who would like to get involved in the campaign for a better education system, let us know, and post your comments on our discussion forum! A letter has just been written to inform the incoming premier, Ernie Eves and education minister, Elizabeth Witmer of our issues. It outlines our positions, on behalf of the students of Ontario. Premier Ernie Eves responded to thank us for the information and to say the ministers would respond. They have not as of present. Dear Mr. Eves, We would like to begin by congratulating you on your new position, on behalf of the students of Ontario. We are high school students concerned with our futures, and we would like to work with you in order to improve the education system to better meet the needs of the students, teachers, and the government. Over the last seven years, the government has made several significant changes to the education system, some good and some bad. It is the general consensus that the education system was in need of improvement. However, most students and teachers feel that the changes were implemented improperly. We hope that you will have the leadership qualities, humility and concern for our needs to rectify the mistakes made by your government. There are a number of issues that concern us. First and foremost, the reduction of the education budget has hindered the ability of the school boards to purchase the proper materials and resources for an effective school system. Due to these cutbacks, such necessary components of the learning experience as extra-curricular activities, arts programs, library personnel and materials have been depleted. Science and technology programs have been negatively affected. Even the most basic needs of a school such as adequate textbooks and supplies are not available. We live in a society where soap and toiletries are generally accepted as necessary items in public facilities. However, many schools are forced to sacrifice these essential items due to lack of money. Despite government attempts, class sizes remain unacceptably high due to the fact that there is a lack of teachers in the system. This is caused by an unwillingness of the school boards to hire teachers because of the lack of funding, and because of unnecessary pressures on current teachers which are discouraging young people from entering the profession. A typical new-curriculum math course may have 32 students. Because of this, teachers are unable to provide adequate assistance with individual students. The government was created to defend the needs and rights of the people, with no discrimination or exceptions. However, students with special needs have been undermined and had their needs ignored. Those in the most need of the government's help are not receiving it, because the government refuses to provide the funding to assist them. We hope that you, as a responsible leader and a concerned Canadian, are as outraged by this injustice as we are. For all the above reasons, we request that the funding formula be seriously reviewed ant that a considerable portion of the roughly $2.5 billion be reinvested into public education as soon as possible. We also need definite assurance that funds going into the private school sector will never compromise the efficiency of the public system. In the case of a lack of government revenue, we expect your government to repeal the tax credit in order to avoid cutting one extra penny from Ontario's public services. We understand the government has tried to provide its assurances that the next issue will not be a problem. However, the upcoming double cohort still worries many students and parents. There have been no definitive actions to accommodate the increase of students who will be attending colleges and universities beginning in 2003. The universities have asked for an additional $100 million to cope with the unprecedented influx in participants. Money spent on partisan government advertising in the last several years well exceeds what universities require to secure our future. Universities such as Carleton, Toronto, and Ryerson have commented that adequate space will not be available for the cohort if government grants do not increase. A system must be immediately established so both groups of students are treated equally. A recent report proves that Ontario is last among the provinces in post-secondary education funding, and will be doomed at crunch time. We demand that tuition be frozen. Education was meant to be for all, not determined by the economic conditions of a few; a 2% cap does not undo the damage of the past decade. We do not want our programs to be deregulated. The current and upcoming postsecondary students of Ontario remain defiant in their struggles. Standardized testing has recently been introduced, and we have yet to see its so-called benefits. All we ask is that you prove to us that the children taking these tests will not become unwilling pawns in a privatization scheme. What is the purpose of showing a school's rating in the National Post if nothing is being done to help suffering schools? Tests must not become the backbone of the curriculum. We are now exploring the variety of ways in which people can absorb information. Testing assists few in the learning process. To judge a student based on these tests is both irresponsible and inappropriate. The new curriculum has given students more grief than hope, more despair than love for learning. Those who designed the new curriculum now realize they moved much too quickly. It is time for the ministry to begin to listen to the people who were previously pushed aside; this includes both teachers and students. The students may benefit more from the curriculum if the development of the courses is made more accessible to the public. It is general knowledge that it is difficult for people and groups in positions of power to admit when they have made a mistake. However, we are confident you will have the strength to make the proper changes in order to improve our success, and not allow pride to threaten our futures. It is reassuring to know that your consultative government will recognize the students of today as the future, and the electorate, of tomorrow. We ask you to respond to us personally, or, if you would prefer, have the education minister contact us, either by phone or mail, so that we may continue to work with you on behalf of concerned students. Sincerely, Teens for OUR Education Ontario Student Federatives cc: Hon. Elizabeth Witmer Hon. Dianne Cunningham Rosario Marchese Gerard Kennedy People for Education ALL OF YOUR MPP's ADDRESSES CAN BE FOUND AT: |
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"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "When the government fears the people, you have liberty. When the people fear the government, you have tyranny." - Thomas Jefferson -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing" - Edmund Burke |