OrilliaMatters received the following letter to the editor and open letter to Simcoe North MPP Jill Dunlop in response to our story about the student-led walkout last week in protest of the provincial government's education cuts:
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I have some comments about the recent article in OrilliaMatters regarding education funding.
I agree with you that there should be more emphasis and support for the skilled trades. Training in skilled trades leads to very lucrative employment and fills a very great societal need for the trades.
As for the funding model, one issue that really needs to be addressed is the ability – with strong encouragement from school boards across the province – for retired teachers to continue to teach for many years.
New graduates from teachers’ colleges simply can’t find work because jobs are not coming open.
This approach greatly contributes to the major ups and downs in teacher availability, but more importantly, is the main reason why newly-minted teachers cannot find teaching positions.
For many years now, talented new teachers in southern and central Ontario have had to accept supply teaching posts, where they may only be teaching a single credit course each semester – not a financially viable employment situation.
The rules should be changed such that when teachers retire, with their very generous pensions, they may not continue to teach.
If teachers want to continue teaching, then they shouldn’t retire. Simple.
Thank you for considering my comments.
Anne Kallin
Orillia
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