Through his new Bill 33, Supporting Children and Students Act, Paul Calandra is focused on grabbing more power—at the expense of democracy, public education, and community voices.
How do we value our kids and employees in a Toronto District School Board that has had to cut education routinely? How do we value seniors who paid for the school system through their taxes and now face the possibility of user fees as they try to use it? What is the value of what we think we are doing here as a school board moving forward?
Remember the Grassy Narrows River Run last September? Maybe not. It’s certainly possible you lost the story in the flames of outrage expressed over Toronto DSB students attending the rallies and hearing chants like: “from Turtle Island to Palestine, occupation is a crime” and others by people in the area protesting the slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza.
As Monday's election tells once again, we need to fight for better wages, affordable groceries, dignity in retirement—and at the same time—push for a fairer electoral system. These struggles are one and the same.
What is happening to the most vulnerable students in our schools? It’s true that kids may be vulnerable for all sorts of reasons – poverty, underfunding of schools and systemic racism to name a few. But there are at least 358 000 young people that the province acknowledges require special teaching or treatment or accommodation. For many it's not happening.
As a teacher and union leader, I believe we must stand against all racism — including antisemitism — and against the mass killing of civilians. Our conscience compels us to demand better from our leaders. Canada must implement a two-way arms embargo on Israel now.
By pushing back against the Trump administration's wanton destruction of government and the public good, the Chicago Teachers Union is taking a stand against fascism.