Article – In the wake of the Ford government’s latest education bill tabled this week, local union representatives are calling it a “smokescreen” that fails to address the critical issues destabilizing Ontario’s education system.
“What we’re seeing is classic misdirection,” says Jenna Patterson, president of the Simcoe County branch of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. “The government wants to talk about cell phones and math scores while our schools are literally crumbling around us.”
The new legislation, officially titled the “Building a Stronger Ontario Together Act,” contains provisions restricting cell phone use in classrooms and implementing a standardized province-wide math assessment for Grade 9 students. Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced the measures during a press conference at an Oakville high school Tuesday, calling them “common-sense reforms to raise standards.”
However, educators across the province point to more pressing concerns that remain unaddressed. A report released last month by the Ontario School Boards’ Association identified a $16.8 billion repair backlog across Ontario schools, with more than 600 buildings rated in “critical” condition.
“I visited a classroom in Orillia last week where students wore coats indoors because the heating system keeps failing,” Patterson told me during our conversation at the union’s local office. “The teacher had put garbage bags over the computers because the roof leaks when it rains. But sure, let’s talk about cell phones.”
The legislation comes amid growing tension between the provincial government and education workers. Last year’s labour negotiations nearly resulted in a province-wide strike before a last-minute agreement was reached.
Ministry spokesperson Brian Davidson defended the new bill in an email statement, writing that “our government has invested more in education than any previous administration, with $26.6 billion allocated in the latest budget.” The statement didn’t address questions about the repair backlog or classroom size concerns.
For Mark Charbonneau, who teaches high school science in Barrie, the focus on cell phones feels particularly misplaced. “We already have policies for device management in most schools,” he explained during his prep period. “What we don’t have are enough educational assistants for our students with special needs, or adequate resources for our newcomer students learning English.”
Recent data from the Ministry of Education shows the student-to-teacher ratio has increased by approximately 6% since 2018, with some northern Ontario classrooms exceeding 30 students despite facility limitations.
Parent groups have expressed mixed reactions. The Ontario Parent Network, representing school councils across the province, released a statement supporting stricter technology policies but questioned the timing and priorities.
“Parents certainly worry about screen time and its effects,” said network chair Aliya Hirji. “But we’re equally concerned about the elimination of specialized programs, the shortage of educational assistants, and what feels like a constant battle over resources.”
Union representatives plan to hold information sessions for members across Simcoe County next week to discuss response strategies.
“Nobody opposes improving math skills or thoughtful technology policies,” Patterson emphasized as our conversation concluded. “But when your house is on fire, you don’t rearrange the furniture. You put out the fire.”
Meanwhile, students themselves remain largely absent from the conversation. At Orillia Secondary School, Grade 11 student council representative Jamie Chen told me between classes: “It feels like they’re making decisions about us without actually talking to us. Most of us know when it’s appropriate to use our phones. What we’d really like is working water fountains and updated textbooks that don’t call Pluto a planet.”
The legislation is expected to pass given the Progressive Conservative majority, with implementation planned for the 2024-25 school year. Education critics from opposition parties have already signaled they’ll be proposing amendments when the bill reaches committee stage next month.
What remains clear is the widening gap between what government officials prioritize and what frontline educators identify as critical needs. As another school year approaches with record enrollment expected, Ontario’s education system continues navigating competing visions of what constitutes meaningful reform.
