Parents sound off over move to revisit class sizes
Province announced Wednesday plan to reassess hard caps on kindergarten, Grades 1-3
News that the Ontario government is pondering lifting caps on class sizes for the province's youngest students is drawing criticism from parents and educators in Ottawa.
Education Minister Lisa Thompson announced Wednesday that she's launching consultations on class sizes and teacher hiring practices.
But parents dropping off their children at Elgin Street Public School on Thursday morning showed no interest in either eliminating or increasing the current caps.
"The cap size is there for a reason, especially at the kinder level. You have a lot of kids and it's [already] overwhelming," said Natalie Lyle, chair of the school's parent council.
Currently, kindergarten classes in Ontario are capped at 29, and the cross-board average can't exceed 26. For primary grades, classes are capped at 23 students, but at least 90 per cent of classes in any board must have 20 students or fewer.
In a consultation document released Wednesday, the Ontario government asks if those hard caps should be maintained or removed. According to the document, the reassessment is required in light of the province's current fiscal circumstances.
Lyle doesn't buy it.
"[The government] can make do. They have made do to provide decent cap sizes. To change it now would be irresponsible," she said.
Other parents outside Elgin Street Public School agreed.
"I personally think the 29 limit is way too high for kindergarten students," said Maria Barrett-Morris. "The cap size needs to come down, and certainly not be eliminated."
"I think it's a terrible idea," said parent Ben Doyle. "Cutting money from education is just an absolutely stupid idea."
Hard caps introduced in 2017
Speaking on CBC's Ottawa Morning, Sam Hammond, president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, defended the hard caps, which were negotiated between the province and various teacher unions, and implemented in September 2017.
"We have fought long and hard on behalf of students and our members to get the cap sizes, because our members on the ground were telling us that the number of students at that time — well above 30 — was not allowing them to implement the kinds of programs for individual needs that students have across this province," he said.
"We need to maintain what we have, and not try to cut the deficit on the backs of students."
Hammond added that ever since the government's announcement, his office has been fielding calls from parents who want the caps maintained.
"I am so happy to hear, and applaud parents who are standing up against this," Hammond said.