About 20 students at Almaguin Highlands Secondary School held a protest before school this morning (Wednesday) against changes to education in Ontario.

Grade 11 student Isabella Tennant says they’re feeling the impact at Almaguin, with teachers receiving calls today about open positions.

“Almost all of the staff at Almaguin got pink slips because we’re a young staff. They’re getting phone calls today, it started at 11 am. Basically what happens is during class teachers need to take a phone call for the chance at another job,” she says.

Tennant also doesn’t take any comfort in MPP’s saying there won’t be any job losses over e-learning and class sizes.

“I think that’s unrealistic, with the number of threatened job losses and the fact I know the money is not there in the budget,” she says.

Tennant says e-learning is a concern for their rural school, pointing to less-than-effective internet in some communities.

She says they’re also concerned about losing extracurriculars or even breakfast or lunch programs.

On top of that, Tennant says their teachers understand the socio-economic situation of the area and have supplies like binders available for students-in-need.

 

(File photo by station staff) 

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