Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker continues his efforts to restore funding for special needs children in his riding.
Walker says Education Minister Liz Sandals is not giving the parents of special-needs students the straight goods on why their children are being told to stay at home.
In Wednesday's question period at Queen’s Park, Walker again questioned Minister Sandals about cuts to special ed, pointing out that the cuts have stripped schools in the Bluewater District School Board of 50 education assistants and pushed students with disabilities out of the classroom.
Walker says it's disgraceful that this government can't find money to keep educational assistants in the classroom but can justify spending $5.7-million on the Toronto Pan Am Games executive bonuses.
Walker adds he was disappointed the minister touted her education spending plan while ignoring a fact that vulnerable students, some of whom are blind, autistic or diabetic, were being pushed out of the education system.
Walker cited the specific case of two boys, Owen and Noah.
"Owen and Noah should be in Grade Six and Grade One respectively, but they are not. In fact, they're at home. They're at home because no public nor Catholic school in Hanover can enrol them, not after the Liberals' budget cut of 50 educational assistants in my riding." said Walker.
"It doesn’t matter how the minister slices and dices it: Owen and Noah and other special needs students should be in school but are not," Walker says. "This is a violation of our students' most basic right, to attend school and to get an education. Our children need to be our priority."