Dear Editor:
In the November 2019 edition of Ontario School Bus magazine Stephen Lecce wrote his government would make “historic investments in education” and that “Ontario is recognized as a global leader in education, with our world-class publicly-funded education system; and I am resolved to improve it.”
Now it has been 20 years since all education unions have been on strike in Ontario, and with six days (and counting) of strike days, ETFO teachers have given up over 3% of pay this year.
The very well compensated Lecce, on Global news on Feb. 21, was asked a yes or no question on whether or not a higher student-to-teacher ratio was better for students. Demonstrating seasoned political manoeuvring, Lecce, who called himself “opinionated and proactive” in Toronto Life magazine, recognized answering the question honestly wasn’t in his best interest. He even went as far as to say that while he wasn’t going to answer the question – he did “appreciate it.”
He hopes to get a “pathway to smaller class sizes through negotiation.” For educators and the Lecce of five months ago, a pathway to success was clear. “Historic investments” typically don’t mean less spending per student, and a world class publicly funded education system weakened through a Conservative wish list of cuts is inconsistent with an even younger and wiser Stephen Lecce.
Josh Cranston,
Fergus