O’Gorman High School could be one of several across Ontario hit by a brief student walkout on Thursday, April 4th. They’ll be protesting planned education funding cuts by the Doug Ford provincial government.
Patrick Pegg is in grade 12 at O’Gorman, and a student trustee on the Northeastern Catholic District School Board. He says the walkout is to protest against larger class sizes, fewer teachers, and a requirement to pass four online courses to graduate from high school.
“We’re hoping to get most of the student body to walk out of the classroom and help protest outside the school,” he says, “ maybe some chants, maybe some signs. It’s just basically to raise awareness Lisa Thompson, who is the education minister for the provincial government, as well as Doug Ford.”
He acknowledges that students could get in trouble with administration for walking out, but doesn’t know if the powers that be might turn a blind eye.
“I couldn’t tell you that. I’ve asked my teachers what they think of it and they said they can’t put a word in on it because it could affect them. ‘No comment’ from them.”