'This government is a joke': Ontario Premier Doug Ford slammed for 'gimmicky' $200 payout to parents of students
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Ontario Premier Doug Ford is giving parents in the province up to $250 per child in an effort to help students catch up on learning disrupted during the pandemic.
Parents will get $200 per student, or $250 for each student with special needs, which is intended for extra tutoring, books or computer programs. The payments are part of the provincial government’s $365 million Plan to Catch Up, which was announced during the summer’s throne speech.
Our government has a plan for students to catch up.
It includes catch up payments: $200 to $250 for each student to help parents pay for extra tutoring, books, or computer programs — whatever your kid needs for their learning.
To learn more visit:https://t.co/yhGCbv7ReU pic.twitter.com/qjPQHdRHLu— Doug Ford (@fordnation) October 20, 2022
The announcement drew lots of attention on social media, with many people, including educators, urging the government to instead invest the funding into schools and programs within them.
Newly released data from Ontario's standardized tests taken last spring, after two years of interrupted learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, showed students in the province struggling in math and failing to meet minimum test scoring.
What my kids need for their learning are teachers, EA’s, librarians, custodians, DECE’s, office staff. Not $200. Invest in schools. Invest in support staff. Invest in public education.
— The O’Brien’s 😷💉x4 (@on1wheel4life) October 20, 2022
Why can't my kids teachers or their school libraries get my $200 per student @fordnation? Am I supposed to be funding their COVID catch up? In terms of academics, their educators know far more about what my kids need than I do. $200 would go farther in their hands than mine.
— Megan Venner ᒥᔅ ᕕ (@atlanticwriter) October 21, 2022
Students and parents need an adequately funded education system and #covid protocols not $200 gimmicks.
— Melanie Smith (@melcitybuilder) October 21, 2022
As news circulates that the Ontario government is offering parents $200/child for "education support", a reminder that the government spent $284 million LESS on education than it officially budgeted for last year. https://t.co/if6SbvpzzE
— Kelly Pedro (she/her) (@KellyPatLarge) October 20, 2022
This is laughable. No money for autism programs, or education workers, but look under your chairs! You get $200! And you get $200! Everybody gets $200!!! There I fixed education. #FireLecce
— Tim (@TimEastCoast) October 21, 2022
Except for properly funded public schools!! I have $150.00 to fund my Grade 3-4 classroom for this entire year and you are giving each parent $200+. You should be ashamed of yourself and your actions!!
— E Spurrell 🍎 (@MsSpurrell) October 20, 2022
Why can't my kids teachers or their school libraries get my $200 per student @fordnation? Am I supposed to be funding their COVID catch up? In terms of academics, their educators know far more about what my kids need than I do. $200 would go farther in their hands than mine.
— Megan Venner ᒥᔅ ᕕ (@atlanticwriter) October 21, 2022
How bout instead invest $200 per child in the school they attend- that would give my childs school $100000!!! Students would benefit more… you & @Sflecce need to do something that actually fixes the problem permanently #firelecce
— tkm222 (@tkm222) October 21, 2022
So, giving us $200 of our own money instead of investing in quality public education for our kids?
Nope. I'd rather have $10 daycare and well-paid EAs.
I'm sick of my taxes paying the overinflated salaries of mediocre politicians who think this populist nonsense is a good idea.— joni elena (@joni_elena) October 21, 2022
Others pointed out that $200 wouldn't be enough to cover a substantial amount of tutoring lessons, which generally cost $50 per hour.
You need to add another zero to make it 2,000.00 not $200.00. Tutoring services are not cheap and you have to go through their program. Tutoring services start at about $50.00 per hour and need to go for a very long time so $200.00 is about 4 sessions. Get current Doug.
— Heather (@SPLCI) October 21, 2022
I smell bribe money or the same crap dished out by @Sflecce and @fordnation. $200 doesn't buy a famolt groceries let alone pay for 2 hours of tutoring to help students "catch up". This government is a joke. #FordFailedOntario #onted https://t.co/XPFii7DV5l
— 🕊🇺🇦Patreatz (@patreatz129) October 21, 2022
$200 will get a kid 4 hours of time with me. That will not catch them up on 3 years of pandemic-affected education. However, 77,000 x 200 = 15.4 million dollars. That, when put into the public education can do a lot!
— M. Anthony (@manthony103) October 21, 2022
Is there any problem that Doug Ford doesn’t think can be solved with a cheque for $200?
— Chris DeGroot 🚲 (@ct_degroot) October 21, 2022
The responses to @fordnation's ridiculous tweet speak for themselves
But let's be crystal clear:
These $200 payments are not simply the product of a government out of touch with reality
They are part of a plan to weaken and marginalize #PublicEducation
We deserve better! https://t.co/UwHTEvyeoh— 🍊Dr. Hal Berman 🍊 (@BermanNDP) October 21, 2022
Others wondered why he couldn’t spend the money on raising teachers’ salaries.
If Doug Ford can afford to send $200 to parents whose kids struggled during the pandemic then he sure as hell can do better than a piddling 5% rate raise for #ODSP #onpoli
— Kyle Hutton (@kylejhutton) October 20, 2022
Take your gaslighting $200 bribe, which is incidentally
OUR money and pay teaching services a proper wage.Stop throwing monopoly money at us and listen to professional educators and CUPE.
You are not in high school, we are not your gang, resign if you do not understand your job— carol (@GrandmasRus) October 20, 2022
A strike looms as mediation talks between the provincial government and school support workers came to a standstill earlier this week, namely over talks concerning salary. CUPE, the union representing custodians, educational assistants and early childhood educators, said the two sides are too far apart on the issues and that a strike could be possible next month.
