September 25, 2017
QUEEN’S PARK—Today, NDP Education critic Peggy Sattler issued the following statement regarding extreme classroom temperatures:
“This week, and repeatedly over the last couple of years, students have faced sweltering classroom temperatures when arriving at school. Teachers and education workers are once again forced to do their jobs in extreme heat. Parents worry that this trend will continue in the dead of winter when broken boilers can force children to wear their winter coats in the classroom just to stay warm.
As ETFO called for again today, the government must address extreme temperatures in schools. The NDP supports ETFO’s call. And while temporary solutions like heat-stress plans are necessary, Andrea Horwath and the NDP believe we have to work towards real solutions. We can and we should be able to offer every child in this province education in a safe environment.
Ontario schools have been underfunded since the last Conservative government, resulting in an accumulated capital repair backlog of more than $14 billion according to the Auditor General. Instead of providing funding for future repair needs and retrofits, the Wynne Liberals are barely covering basic maintenance needs while the backlog continues to grow.
Extreme classroom temperatures have a direct impact on student learning and it’s time to do something about it. Immediate action must be taken to bring schools to a reasonable state of repair and provide the infrastructure required to create safe and comfortable conditions inside the classroom.”