The following is a statement from the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) President David Mastin in response to today’s announcement about classroom supplies:

“For years, educators have spent hundreds of dollars of their own money to ensure students have what they need. If the government is finally acknowledging this reality, it’s long overdue. But let’s be clear. Educators cannot be bought, and our commitment to strong public education is not something this government can purchase with a pre‑bargaining announcement.

The real issue that needs addressing is this government’s ongoing refusal to address the chronic underfunding that forces educators to subsidize classrooms out of their own pockets in the first place.

Educators know that effective supports for students require stable, adequate provincial funding, not gestures timed to score political points or soften public perception ahead of negotiations.

Ontario’s public education system doesn’t need political theatre. It needs real investment and a government that’s willing to strengthen it, not one trying to build allies through strategically timed announcements.”

ETFO represents approximately 84,000 members, including public elementary teachers, occasional teachers, designated early childhood educators, education support personnel, and professional support personnel. Visit BuildingBetterSchools.ca.