I was just about to ask. Any suggested wording? (I can rewrite it, I just don't currently know what to say besides "WHAT THE FUCK WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU" which might not be the most effective phrasing.
The difference between an average and a cap. An average class of 28 will result in classes of 40. There is no way to increase class sizes without losing jobs; their claim that no front-line workers will lose their jobs is a lie. With larger classes and fewer teachers, students will get less individualized instruction and support. Extracurriculars (such as Rob Ford's favourite football team) will also suffer as teachers face increased workloads. Small programs and elective courses that are lifesavers for many students will be eliminated. Even e-Learning proponents admit that it is not a good learning model for all students. It is also discriminatory towards students with learning disabilities and economically disadvantaged children who do not have computer or internet access at home.
I am writing to express my concern at your proposal to increase average high school classes to 28 in Ontario. I know you are concerned that students should be numerate and do practical maths so lets do some. There are only two ways to increase average class size; make some classes much larger than the average or eliminate subjects/courses with lower enrolments. Both these options damage learning and, ultimately our economy and society. Class sizes significantly larger than 30 just aren’t practical. Even universities have to split popular courses into smaller groups with TAs to provide assistance and mark course work. How is a single high school teacher to provide meaningful feedback on written work from, say, 40 students? You know it can’t be done. So, what of the alternative? If courses with lower enrolments are eliminated it will typically be the more challenging academic courses that go; less mainstream languages, advanced science and mathematics courses and so on. Surely the economic impact of this is apparent to you (even if you don’t care about the debasement of our collective culture)? Employers don’t just want drones with a passing acquaintance of the core curriculum. They also want people who can think, people with imagination, creative minds. By impoverishing the choices available to high school students you reduce the supply of those people. Increasingly employers who want a quality workforce will choose places other than Ontario to locate. Is this really the “common sense” your leader talks so much about? I don’t think so.
Education is not just a cost. It’s an investment in all our futures, in the quality of our society, in the success of our economy.
Respectfully,
I know i's a bit crass to focus on the economic effects but how else do you get through to this bunch of cultural barbarians?
It's fantastic, to be honest. That's the language they pretend to speak, except that they have no understanding of economics.
The elimination of 6000 upper middle-class jobs will have a massive ripple effect, but nothing compared to what destroying the public education system will do to the economy.
I'll write something and send it from my old university email - that sounds like a constituent, at least. Won't be till sometime next week, but it's not like the situation is going away. Sadly.
I found out my MMP is NDP (which I guess that I already knew, but I'd forgotten) so I re-worded the email to him to say "keep up the pressure to stop these terrible things" instead of "here is why your ideas are terrible", which went to Ford and to the Minister.
I assume the NDP is putting pressure on the Tories as best they can. It's what the NDP are for, after all. But I didn't bother to research it.
I am writing to express my concern at your proposal to increase the average high-school class size in Ontario. Increasing class sizes will eliminate teaching jobs just as a simple matter of mathematics, which will then have a serious ripple effect on the economy, and that’s before we even get to the ill effects on the educational system— students will get less individual attention from the remaining teachers, and many specialized programs, such as the more challenging academic courses, will no longer be tenable. e-Learning cannot entirely make up the shortfall— even its proponents admit it is not a good fit for all students (for example, economically-disadvantaged children who do not have computer or internet access at home.)
Even if this government regards education in purely economic terms, please consider that one cannot cut one’s way to a profit.
He did claim he spent hours and hours talking to consituents on the phone a few months ago. Anyway, whatevs. :) I sent in some emails, please keep me posted if there is anything else I can do.
I'd just say keep talking to everyone you know and keep harassing the government. More bad news came down last night that's going to make my entire month excruciating (and may still kill the school).
I had a lengthy talk with one of his staffers yesterday afternoon, who sounded tired.
Sent this to the GF, DoFo, and my MPP. Also going to send dead tree versions of the same.
Dear Ms. Thompson and Premier Ford,
I am writing to express my concern at your government's proposal to increase average high school classes to 28 in Ontario.
As an Ontario taxpayer, and more to the point, an Ontario citizen whose future well-being is linked to the economic well-being of the current generation of schoolchildren, I want the best educational outcome for Ontario's children. It is a demonstrated fact that larger class sizes lead to worse educational outcomes.
Premier Ford claims that Ontario is "open for business". Unless that business is providing low-skilled labour at correspondingly low wages, investment in education is critical to Ontario's success. Education is not a cost centre. It’s an investment in all our futures, in the quality of our society, in the success of our economy. As I'm fond of saying, but getting tired of repeating, "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance."
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no subject
Date: 2019-03-17 05:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-03-17 05:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-03-17 05:20 pm (UTC)I was just about to ask.
Any suggested wording? (I can rewrite it, I just don't currently know what to say besides "WHAT THE FUCK WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU" which might not be the most effective phrasing.
no subject
Date: 2019-03-17 05:42 pm (UTC)The difference between an average and a cap. An average class of 28 will result in classes of 40.
There is no way to increase class sizes without losing jobs; their claim that no front-line workers will lose their jobs is a lie.
With larger classes and fewer teachers, students will get less individualized instruction and support. Extracurriculars (such as Rob Ford's favourite football team) will also suffer as teachers face increased workloads.
Small programs and elective courses that are lifesavers for many students will be eliminated.
Even e-Learning proponents admit that it is not a good learning model for all students. It is also discriminatory towards students with learning disabilities and economically disadvantaged children who do not have computer or internet access at home.
no subject
Date: 2019-03-17 07:55 pm (UTC)I try to avoid the explicit "what is wrong with you" but I'm sure the staffers can read between the lines of my emails.
no subject
Date: 2019-03-17 05:33 pm (UTC)Dear Ms. Thompson,
I am writing to express my concern at your proposal to increase average high school classes to 28 in Ontario. I know you are concerned that students should be numerate and do practical maths so lets do some. There are only two ways to increase average class size; make some classes much larger than the average or eliminate subjects/courses with lower enrolments. Both these options damage learning and, ultimately our economy and society. Class sizes significantly larger than 30 just aren’t practical. Even universities have to split popular courses into smaller groups with TAs to provide assistance and mark course work. How is a single high school teacher to provide meaningful feedback on written work from, say, 40 students? You know it can’t be done. So, what of the alternative? If courses with lower enrolments are eliminated it will typically be the more challenging academic courses that go; less mainstream languages, advanced science and mathematics courses and so on. Surely the economic impact of this is apparent to you (even if you don’t care about the debasement of our collective culture)? Employers don’t just want drones with a passing acquaintance of the core curriculum. They also want people who can think, people with imagination, creative minds. By impoverishing the choices available to high school students you reduce the supply of those people. Increasingly employers who want a quality workforce will choose places other than Ontario to locate. Is this really the “common sense” your leader talks so much about? I don’t think so.
Education is not just a cost. It’s an investment in all our futures, in the quality of our society, in the success of our economy.
Respectfully,
I know i's a bit crass to focus on the economic effects but how else do you get through to this bunch of cultural barbarians?
no subject
Date: 2019-03-17 05:38 pm (UTC)The elimination of 6000 upper middle-class jobs will have a massive ripple effect, but nothing compared to what destroying the public education system will do to the economy.
Thank you.
no subject
Date: 2019-03-18 01:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-03-18 10:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-03-19 02:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-03-17 07:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-03-17 08:03 pm (UTC)Rumour has it I might have gotten her email wrong anyway, so I need to check with folks and possibly update the call to arms.
no subject
Date: 2019-03-17 08:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-03-17 08:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-03-21 12:50 pm (UTC)I found out my MMP is NDP (which I guess that I already knew, but I'd forgotten) so I re-worded the email to him to say "keep up the pressure to stop these terrible things" instead of "here is why your ideas are terrible", which went to Ford and to the Minister.
I assume the NDP is putting pressure on the Tories as best they can. It's what the NDP are for, after all. But I didn't bother to research it.
no subject
Date: 2019-03-21 03:56 pm (UTC)He said he's a former teacher and is opposed to the cuts, and thanked me for my email in support of him fighting against them.
Which, I know he has no power, but I was still happy to read it.
no subject
Date: 2019-03-22 01:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-03-22 03:55 pm (UTC)From the UK, I can't tell how well they're doing, but I know without looking into it that they're trying.
no subject
Date: 2019-03-17 08:46 pm (UTC)Dear Ms. Thompson,
I am writing to express my concern at your proposal to increase the average high-school class size in Ontario. Increasing class sizes will eliminate teaching jobs just as a simple matter of mathematics, which will then have a serious ripple effect on the economy, and that’s before we even get to the ill effects on the educational system— students will get less individual attention from the remaining teachers, and many specialized programs, such as the more challenging academic courses, will no longer be tenable. e-Learning cannot entirely make up the shortfall— even its proponents admit it is not a good fit for all students (for example, economically-disadvantaged children who do not have computer or internet access at home.)
Even if this government regards education in purely economic terms, please consider that one cannot cut one’s way to a profit.
Sincerely,
no subject
Date: 2019-03-17 08:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-03-17 09:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-03-18 12:59 am (UTC)Anyway, I will contact them both tomorrow in solidarity.
no subject
Date: 2019-03-18 01:06 am (UTC)Thanks!
no subject
Date: 2019-03-19 03:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-03-19 10:27 am (UTC)I had a lengthy talk with one of his staffers yesterday afternoon, who sounded tired.
no subject
Date: 2019-03-19 12:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-03-19 10:28 am (UTC)