Another school year has begun – for some children, their first year! – and the Ontario election campaign is in full swing. Education issues were a hot topic during the first few days of school, but media focus has shifted. This could be because there is not much controversy around publicly funded education in Ontario right now. Unlike a decade ago, there is stability in our schools. High school graduation rates have improved greatly. Primary class sizes are smaller. Innovations such as full-day Kindergarten are underway.

That there is apparent political and media consensus that publicly funded education is on the right track does not mean we should be complacent. We have seen in the past how positive developments can be rolled back, progressive change put on hold, with the result being Ontario children falling behind. We cannot afford to let that happen. Please continue to Speak for Children during this campaign. Ask your candidates exactly where they stand on recent reforms and what they propose to do to reduce child poverty and continue to build a strong publicly funded education system for Ontario.