PASMA: This government is doing what it does best: hiding decisions behind closed doors

OTTAWA WEST – NEPEAN – Ontario NDP Shadow Minister for Education Chandra Pasma (Ottawa West – Nepean) responded to news that the Ford government has directed school boards under supervision to stop livestreaming committee meetings:

“This is yet another example of the lengths Doug Ford will go to in silencing parents and
shutting communities out of the decisions affecting our local schools,” said Pasma. “His
handpicked supervisors refuse to answer questions and are making decisions behind
closed doors, without transparency or accountability. Now Ford and Calandra are taking it
one step further by preventing people from seeing the one part of school board business
that is still being conducted publicly.

“As with all of this government’s bad decisions, this hurts kids with disabilities and learning
exceptionalities and their families the most. It is incredibly challenging for these parents to
make it out to a meeting in person, even though what is being discussed is of the utmost
importance to their children’s education.

"Parents and families deserve transparency. This is another attempt to hide Ford’s failures
from the public. The government should be focused on properly funding our schools and
supporting students, rather than silencing parents and keeping communities in the dark.”