Education workers, students, and parents will gather outside over 700 Ontario schools Thursday to show support for public education and denounce cuts made by the provincial government.
Walk-In For Education is a parent-led initiative where community members will rally, march or picket outside their local school 30 minutes before or after school hours.
Four elementary schools and five secondary schools across the Lambton Kent District School Board have registered for the walk-in, including Northern, Great Lakes, LCCVI, and North Lambton. (Click here for a full list of schools taking part)
Lambton Kent Elementary Teachers’ Federation President Laurel Liddicoat-Newton said they're 100 per cent behind the province-wide action.
She said the initiative sends a clear message to the provincial government.
"I think it needs to be said that teachers, families, and parents are getting together to show support for public education and denounce cuts made by the Ford Conservative government," said Liddicoat-Newton. "As we've seen from the recent CUPE negotiations, there is strength that parents and the public have in the fight to defend high quality public education. The Walk-in For Education is a powerful way for parents and educators to come together to show our collective support for students and public education."
Liddicoat-Newton said the initiative is not dissimilar to a student-organized walkout in the spring.
On Sunday night, The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the government reached a tentative deal to avoid a strike. The province still has to negotiate new deals with elementary and high school teachers.