Wait to make cuts: Minister

Wait to make cuts: Minister - March 1 07

From: Campaign For Public Education
info@campaignforpubliceducation.ca
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 2:21 PM
To: Campaign For Public Education
Subject: Wait to make cuts: Minister;BOARD JUMPING GUN: WYNNE

Please circulate.
If Kathleen says it is too early to make cuts, has anyone met with her to find out how much is going to be restored this year? For being so cooperative and good?

Wait to make cuts: Minister; BOARD JUMPING GUN: WYNNE
The Toronto Sun Thu 01 Mar 2007 MIKE KOREEN, SUN MEDIA

Ontario Education Minister Kathleen Wynne is urging the Toronto District School Board to wait until grants from the province are released before finalizing cuts.

Although the TDSB announced yesterday they are planning to vote on cutting or re-assigning a host of inner-city teachers, librarians, education assistants and lunch room supervisors because of funding shortfalls, Wynne said the board doesn't have the proper funding figures to determine exactly what, if any, staffing moves are necessary.

"I'm not sure where they're getting this notion they have to make this kind of cut," Wynne said, adding grants are expected to be approved in the next few weeks.

The TDSB believes it needs to re-locate 100 inner-city teachers and 27 librarians to meet the provincial government's 20-student cap on primary grade class size. While the TDSB is more than happy with the cap, trustees say the government hasn't provided sufficient funding to execute the plan, forcing them to close school libraries and move teachers from poor neighbourhoods.

"It's another example of the ministry (telling) local boards to implement one of the initiatives and not fully funding it," trustee Irene Atkinson said. "It's another example of us being left to rob Peter to pay Paul."

In addition, more than 150 education assistants and lunch room supervisors would face the chopping block, which would result in two lunch room supervisors being in charge of up to 224 students. The TDSB was hoping to delay its scheduled vote until next week so trustees could meet with ministry officials and Wynne said that shouldn't be a problem.