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About 40 parents, educators and union leaders say they’re frustrated by the lack of answers from the two candidates who want to be P.E.I.’s next premier on how they plan to address what they describe as a crisis in the education system
The group marched to the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown Tuesday night. That’s where the third and final Progressive Conservative leadership forum was being held between Rob Lantz and Mark Ledwell.
The group stood quietly outside Memorial Hall, where the debate was taking place, holding signs that read “Students deserve support, not spin,” “This isn’t politics, this is our children’s future,” and “Respect educators with resources, not slogans.”
The group went in and listened to the debate once it began.
‘The system is in crisis’
Jen Poirier, a parent from Kelvin Grove, said she left frustrated.
She said resources are not reaching the classroom, student-to-teacher ratios are too high, there is a shortage of resources for teachers and assessment wait times are way too long.
Parents and students marched from the lobby of the Holman Grand Hotel to the Confederation Centre of the Arts to protest what they say is a ‘crisis’ in P.E.I.’s education system. (Wayne Thibodeau/CBC)
“We really didn’t hear a lot, nothing really of substance on how they’re going to help Island students K-12 with their education,” said Poirier.
“I mean the system is in crisis. Students are falling through the cracks, and we need to be worried about our future.”
More than 250 people, including the 40 or so protesters, packed into the PC Party forum Tuesday night.
Lantz and Ledwell fielded more than 20 questions from the moderator. But only two dealt with education.
There was a question on post-secondary education and a second question on the George Coles Bursary.
‘Need for this is very clear’
It should be noted the party doesn’t allow questions from the people in the room. The questions were prepared in advance and vetted by party organizers.
WATCH | Islanders concerned about state of education protest at PC leadership forum:
Islanders concerned about state of education protest at PC leadership forum
The P.E.I. Progressive Conservative Party held its final leadership forum in Charlottetown. Some Islanders who showed up to protest say they were hoping the candidates addressed what they call a crisis in education — but they left disappointed. CBC’s Wayne Thibodeau was there.
Both Lantz and Ledwell said they’d continue to support the George Coles Bursary, a non-repayable bursary for Island students to help with expenses like tuition, books and living costs.
Those students must attend one of the Island’s publicly funded post-secondary institutions: UPEI, Holland College or Collège de l’Île.
In a question later in the evening about the out-migration of young people, Ledwell said he is committed to frontline education. But he didn’t get into details about what that meant.
Colleen Jackson, president of CUPE 3260, said students need better.
CUPE 3260 represents educational assistants, among others, at both the English and French school boards on the Island.
Jackson said educational assistants are only paid for six hours a day. She said they are looking for them to be paid for an additional hour so they can better care for students, but so far the province has refused.
“The need for this is very clear to us,” said Jackson.
“We work with these students for six hours, from the time they come in until the time they leave. We know them best. These students do not have us to advocate for them at the table when it comes to things like IEPs [Individual Education Programs], student safety plans, behavioural plans because we only have six hours and the meetings occur after that time.”
‘These resources are needed’
Voting is now underway online for PC Party members to elect a new leader and the province’s next premier. Results will be released during the party’s leadership convention Saturday.
Poirier said she and others plan to keep up the pressure on the province. They plan to be at the Public School Branch’s March meeting.
She said they have to take action because students are “still falling through the cracks.”
“We want to get out there and say that these resources are needed,” she said.
“Hopefully, they can go back to the minister and ask the questions and increase that funding ratio.”