Ontario parents are on edge as the Ford government confirms it will be launching a review into underused schools in some school boards.
It has fueled new concerns about what could happen to smaller specialty schools if the moratorium on school closures is lifted
Elizabeth Garkowski tells CityNews her children currently attend a small school that could potentially be on the chopping block.
“Right now, my daughter is failing to receive some vital supports, and her education is suffering, and I think that should be the priority,” Garkowski. “Our kids are not a budget line.”
In a statement, the Education Minister’s Office confirmed to CityNews that the Minister Paul Calandra has asked supervisors in supervised boards to “review surplus properties and report back,” adding that their focus is on ensuring resources are directed back into classrooms.
The province has taken control of six school boards since Calandra became minister, citing their mismanagement, including the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board.
The statement also confirmed the moratorium on school closures remains in place.
“Which schools are they? That’s the one thing I’m concerned about … what does he consider as being a surplus school? That’s not really clear,” said Sandra Huh, another concerned parent.
Opposition critics, including Liberal Leader John Fraser, are questioning the timing of the review.
“It’s a bit suspicious, if you ask me,” said Fraser. “They took over the boards and now they’re saying we might close some schools.”
“If we take a look at this government’s record, when it comes to things that have anything to do with property, whether that comes to surplus government buildings, the Greenbelt or Ontario Place, there’s always somebody outside of government whose going benefit from the sale of that land or the sale of that building.”
“I’m really concerned this minister is just coming in to sell off these schools,” shared Huh. “The land in Toronto is very valuable.”
The previous Liberal government introduced the moratorium on school closures in 2017 after facing backlash from parents and critics who argues school boards were shutting down schools to balance budgets rather than based on what was best for students and communities.
The ban has remained in place under the Ford’s Progressive Conservative government, but for years, school boards have been asking them to lift the moratorium, arguing the cost of maintaining schools with low enrollment is hurting their bottom line.
“I feel like we’re pointing the fingers everywhere at why it’s failing and why the system is cracking instead of just addressing the elephant in the room that we’re all very well aware of that we’re billions of dollars underfunded,” said Garkowski.
“That just speaks to how dire the financial situation has been. That the funding hasn’t been keeping up [and] school boards have had to cut to the bone,” said NDP Education Critic Chandra Pasma.
“I don’t think that’s the solution. I think the solution is providing funding so that we can maintain our community schools and every child has the resources they need in the classroom.”
Calandra has been clear that the Ontario government is not and will not consider lifting the moratorium in rural areas.
