Threat of rural Ontario school closures dominates Question Period at Queen's Park

Much of Question Period at the Ontario legislature was focused on education yesterday.

That's because the future of more than 140 schools is in limbo, including a dozen in Sudbury.

Both Premier Kathleen Wynne and Education Minister Mitzie Hunter spent their time defending their Liberal government's decisions.

Currently English public school boards are holding accommodation reviews to determine which schools will close.

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Windsor MPP and NDP education critic Lisa Gretsky said many of those schools on the chopping block have one thing in common: location.

"Rural communities often face inequities as far as programming available to students. That's not right," she said.

"Our schools across the province and our students across the province should all have the exact same opportunities when it comes to education. Where you live shouldn't dictate what kind of education or the quality of education you're getting."

Watch some of the action at Queen's Park

We want to 'fund kids, not empty spaces'

About 250 students and parents from across the province were at Queen's Park in an effort to sway the government to review its per-pupil funding formula and halt all pending school closures.

But Education Minister Mitzie Hunter defended her government's decisions.

"Per-pupil funding has increased by $4,300," she said during Question Period.

"We want to fund kids in classrooms, not empty spaces."

Hunter says decisions about the consolidation of schools come from the local level, and are made by individual school boards.

Difficult decisions

NDP leader Andrea Horwath agreed the choices will be tough, but said Premier Kathleen Wynne is to blame.

"The school boards have a difficult decision to make, but that decision is being forced on them by a government that's been cutting back on education funding, even though this Premier said she wouldn't do that," Horwath said.

Students and parents from the Ontario Alliance Against School Closures were in the gallery for the exchange — including Felicia Fahey of Dowling, who helped organize their rally outside afterwards.

"It was amazing to see community activists that are really just caring about their schools just coming together because they know they have a voice," she told CBC News.

Fahey says she expects several MPPs to bring forward motions calling for a moratorium on the closures or a review of the per-pupil funding formula.