Students lengthen walkout to two days
About 35 students at Winona Drive Senior Public School refused to attend class for two days — longer than most student rallies — to oppose the fact their teachers have stopped coaching sports to protest the province’s unpopular wage freeze law that curbs teachers’ bargaining rights.
While most were expected in class Wednesday, “we’re hoping to try to do something more organized next week to show we don’t like being kids caught in the middle,” said Talia Duarte, 13, a Grade 8 student at the school near St. Clair Ave. and Oakwood Ave. Friend Sarah Kuburi, 12, said “we should get our extracurriculars back if other schools still have them.”
Some 200 students stayed outside Monday “in a respectful protest against the legislation and the lack of extracurriculars,” said Principal David Ehrlich. He sent parents a letter noting that “while we understand students want their collective voice heard on this issue, it is also important that students understand the expectation that they attend all of their classes while at school.” When about 70 students continued to stay out of school Tuesday, Ehrlich and the vice-principal consulted their parents by phone. About 35 students got their par- ents’ blessing to continue to stay outside, but Ehrlich said he has encouraged the young activists to look for ways to voice their concerns while returning to class. Teachers at about half the elementary schools across the GTA have taken an indefinite “pause” from running after-school programs to protest the imposition of Ontario’s new Putting Students First Act, which removes teachers’ right to strike for two years.