Kitchener-Waterloo·Photos

'No ifs, no buts, no education cuts': Students protest education changes

High school students marched to Kitchener city hall on Thursday, as part of a provincewide walkout to protest education changes in Ontario.

Provincewide walkout over Ford government's plans to overhaul elementary and high school systems

Students chant outside Kitchener city hall while protesting changes to Ontario's education system. High school and elementary students across Waterloo region walked out of class Thursday afternoon to demonstrate against the changes. (Kate Bueckert/CBC)

High school students marched to Kitchener city hall on Thursday, as part of a provincewide walkout to protest education changes in Ontario.

Students from Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School (KCI) gathered on the front steps of their school before making their way downtown to city hall. (Robin De Angelis)

In March, the Ford government announced sweeping changes affecting elementary and high schools, including increased class sizes, more e-learning and a new math curriculum.

The students got honks of support from passing vehicles as they chanted and waved signs during their march to city hall. (Robin De Angelis/CBC)

Students from Kitchener–Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School, commonly called Kitchener Collegiate Institute (KCI) gathered on the front steps of their school before walking down King Street West to city hall.

The students waved signs and chanted phrases including, "No ifs, no buts, no education cuts," and "Give us our education back, schools are under attack."

Alex Charette is a Gr. 12 student at KCI and one of the organizers of the walkout. One of his biggest concerns is losing teachers who are dedicated to helping students. "A lot of our younger teachers are the ones who are putting in those extra hours, who are really taking the time to support students, and when those are the ones who are being cut, that going to affect our classes so greatly," Charette told CBC News.

Student organizer Alex Charette estimated there were at least 300 students from KCI in attendance. They were later joined at city hall by students from 13 other schools within the Waterloo Region District School board.

Eshe Vicario-Robinson, 18, is in her fifth year at KCI. She is worried arts programs will suffer with the Ford government's changes. "I found most of my life in the drama department and without that I would've definitely dropped out of high school altogether," Vicario-Robinson said. She credits the drama department with teaching her how to speak up.

Wendy Price, a trustee with the Waterloo Catholic District School Board also raised concerns about the changes, in a post that was widely shared on social media.

"If the changes...to education do happen, it will be YEARS before our education system recovers," Price wrote in the post.

Isobel Eso, a grade 12 student at KCI, says her biggest concerns are class sizes and funding for Indigenous education programs. She is also worried about the Ford government's changes at the post-secondary level, including OSAP. Eso says it's important for students to make their voices heard. "Civic engagement within young teenagers is really, really important and I think that just by coming out here today, we've all accomplished something by protesting against a government that is affecting our education." (Robin De Angelis/CBC)
Organizers estimate 200 students from KCI attended the protest and say scores of students from 13 other schools in the Waterloo Region District School Board joined them at city hall. (Robin De Angelis/CBC)