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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hi Everyone:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Just to show you are not alone, our provincial government has announced deep cuts to education:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.chatelaine.com/news/doug-ford-education-changes-ontario-cuts/">https://www.chatelaine.com/news/doug-ford-education-changes-ontario-cuts/</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>And from the Toronto Star:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2018/12/15/school-boards-blindsided-as-ford-government-slashes-program-funding.html">https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2018/12/15/school-boards-blindsided-as-ford-government-slashes-program-funding.html</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In our county alone, schools are laying off history and geography teachers as the mantra is “it is online, we don’t need teacher.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I know of one history teacher who has already been laid off as has her entire history department teaching staff.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>With high school students having to take at least four online courses, there is no provision or support of these online courses to be accessible that I know of. We do have AODA but with the staffing cuts, who knows what we’ll end up with.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Additionally, there are funding cuts to other programs in addition to the funding cuts for people with autism which were put in place shortly after the current government came into office.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/4767850/ford-government-education-cuts/">https://globalnews.ca/news/4767850/ford-government-education-cuts/</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Additionally, there has been a complete cut to funding for inter library loans which adversely affects those of us in rural communities who depend on our libraries being able to get books from other libraries. This will also have an effect on education as students in rural communities won’t be able to get research and resource material.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2019/04/21/ontario-library-cuts_a_23715110/">https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2019/04/21/ontario-library-cuts_a_23715110/</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-funding-cuts-to-northern-southern-ontario-library-systems-hit-rural/">https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-funding-cuts-to-northern-southern-ontario-library-systems-hit-rural/</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Just FYI.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Cheers, Karen<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>