The clock is ticking towards tomorrow’s one-day strike involving Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation members across Ontario, including locally.

District 4 Educational workers and support staff unit president Troy Simkins says on top of English public high school teachers their local members include a variety of educational workers in elementary schools too.

They include Educational Assistants, Early Childhood Educators, Child Development Councillors, Communicative Disorder Assistants, Behaviour Councillors, Attendance Councillors, Psychometrist,
Speech Language Pathologist, Social Workers and Psychologist.

The union is asking the government to address important issues like violence in schools and the mental health needs of students.

“I have EA’s that have to wear Kevlar arm guards, spit guards and shin guards just to go to work,” says Simkins. “The violence in the schools is out of control in some cases. This is happening in our kindergarten classes as well. The mental health needs of our students are suffering because of the lack of support. The list goes on and on.”

Late Friday, the Near North Board, involving English public schools, announced it’s schools would be closed on Wednesday if OSSTF members undertake the one-day strike.

(File photo by station staff)

Filed under: near-north-district-school-board, osstf