Over the course of four days in January Strategic Communications in the Ontario Provincial Electoral District of Huron-Bruce conducted phone 309 automated phone surveys asking for people’s opinions on the current state of education in Ontario and their thoughts on the contentious issues being discussed between the province and the four major teacher unions during contract negotiations.
AMDSB OSSTF Local President Shane Restall says the figures back what they’ve been hearing from parents on the picket line, and says it’s time for MPP Lisa Thompson to listen to her constituents.
29% of respondents feel Thompson is doing a poor overall job as MPP, with 34.65% ranking either good or excellent, and 25% selecting fair. The rest selected they don’t know.
Perhaps most telling, 59% of those surveyed are against increased class sizes, with 13% strongly agreeing, 15% somewhat agreeing, 14% somewhat disagreeing and 2% not sure.
Class sizes and mandatory e-learning have been some of the biggest contention points throughout negotiations.
Recently Minister of Education Stephen Lecce announced they’re prepared to compromise by offering optional e-learning and increasing class sizes by just one student per class, down from the original 5 and already revised three.
