Over the weekend, thousands of students, parents, teachers and families gathered at Queen’s Park to protest the Ontario government’s plans to cut over 3,000 full-time teaching jobs and increase class sizes. Here’s a look at some of our favourite signs.
But first, the impressive crowd:
This group gets bonus points for their papier-maché skills:
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I stand united with my fellow colleagues, educators across Ontario, students, parents and the community at hand against what is happening to education. I am so shocked at how we have two people who are not qualified for this job making such important decisions?! The education minister who hasn’t spent one day in a classroom and Doug Ford a drop out! The Premier and Education Minister are going to dismantle many of valuable yet vulnerable programs within the arts that are struggling to keep alive: languages, visual arts, music, and, drama. Online courses? Good luck! Less support for special ed students?! Even dumber. Class sizes of 35-40+?! Good luck to the teachers and the students and say goodbye to the quality of education previously offered and not to mention the quality of assessments being held daily! @fordnationdougford Have you read the Growing Success Document in its entirety?! I doubt it! All you care about is beer, drugs, and yourself! Want to save some money and make some cuts Doug? Come speak to me or any other teacher and we will help you and your goat ?lover friend. Ontario, we can’t stand for this! We are better than this. Don’t let these two getaway with this mass destruction. @fordnationdougford if you are truly for the people, the people have spoken. Are you listening? Are you going to fix the chaos you’ve started?! #dougfordneedstoleavenow #bettereducation #supporteducation #notobiggerclasssizes
A post shared by Aleem Ebrahim Apr 6, 2019 at 5:37pm PDT
“Don’t make me use my teacher voice” is a serious threat:
This girl busted out her finger paint:
This kid asked the smart questions:
This person opted for a darker take:
There was a lot of sass:
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I have so many thoughts and emotions that I want to express, but it seems that I no longer have the words to describe them. If I could put them all down to paper all at once, unedited and uncensored, it would create an image that I myself wouldn’t understand, let alone hope that others could interpret. In situations like these, I think of my fourteen year old cousin back in Romania, and I think of how proud I am to know a young person who’s as educated and socially aware as he is. Someone who’s as willing to come protests such as these, with the stakes and potential risk being much higher. But I’m also saddened and distraught. I am wounded by the fact that a child feels the need to take political issues that shouldn’t have existed in the first place, and carry them on his shoulders from day to day. It was him I thought about on April 4th, during our school walkouts. I saw this group of middle schoolers who had come to join the conglomerate of voices that had gathered in hopes to make enough noise that we’ll be listened to. And while my faith in the young had been restored in that moment, it had been demolished in the system we find ourselves in today. And in the people that vote to maintain it. But even worse, those that don’t do anything at all. Passiveness is one of the greatest forms of evil, and yet it is most unrecognized of all. To those of you who come out here, organize events such as these and continue to fight for your own rights and those of others, I applaud you. There is great strength in numbers. But there is also great danger because responsibility becomes diffused in a crowd. I was talking to someone about coming to Queens park today and they said that “it wasn’t my job anymore” and to “let others do the protesting, this doesn’t affect you”. And I thought to myself “This is exactly how we got here in the first place”.The fight for justice doesn’t end with the system working for you, it ends when it works for all. And to those of you who are politically active, I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but I want everyone to remember this when you think of the next movement that arises or the issues within our government that have yet to be (tbc)
A post shared by lex? Apr 6, 2019 at 4:12pm PDT
Did someone say déjà vu?
There were rhymes:
Harry Potter fans came out to play:
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‘Even Voldemort Respected Harry’s Right to Education!”⚡️ Such an amazing turn out yesterday at Ontario’s Rally for Education. Our new government is cutting funding which means increasing class sizes, decreasing support for children with special needs, forcing teens to take online courses no matter if they’re able to afford a computer or not, and firing thousands of teachers and support staff. Larger classes mean less teacher support for all. Students will simply fall through the cracks, no matter their abilities… ? #cutshurtkids ! Also, the government is trying to say that ‘not one teacher will lose their job’, and that they will simply not replace teachers that are retiring, but the numbers DO NOT ADD UP. Any teachers who were hired in the last few years are possibly on the chopping block, including myself. ? I’m heart broken for the future of Ontario, but hopeful that by using our collective voices, we can make a change. All Ontarians need to speak out together to make those in power realize the future leaders of our province. ⚡️ Swipe through for some other excellent Potter signs and friends I met. Also, obviously had to wear my Howler pin from @fandomflairpins to get my point across! #redfored #iteachfourth #iteachfifth #cutshurtkids #studentsarenotsardines #harrypotterclassroom #wizardingworld #wizardingworldofharrypotter #harrypotter #potterpins #howler #voldemort #dougford #ontarioteachers
A post shared by Izzy Apr 7, 2019 at 8:29am PDT
About that slogan…:
N.W.A. would be proud of this sign:
As would Pink Floyd:
These girls summed things up pretty well:
Size does matter:
Here’s another attempt at an innuendo:
This sign took a more whimsical approach:
This guy definitely didn’t hold back:
