Dear caregivers,
Huge news. Last night, the Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee (FBEC) voted against recommended options to balance as presented by staff!
The vote was 3 (Li, MacLean, Rajwani) to 6 (De Dovitiis, Ehrhardt, Hassan, Patel, Shan, Wong).
MacLean, as chair, moved the proposed options to balance to a full board vote as a minority report. The board will vote on these tomorrow (Wednesday) at 7pm (NOTE: the meeting will be in private session from 4:30pm - 7pm).
FBEC voting strongly against a balanced budget is huge news and signals that the trustees could actually vote against a balanced budget at the full board meeting tomorrow.
There are three things to do right now.
1. Contact your own trustee and ask them to vote against the budget.
2. Fill out my survey/petition - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdG8ERYAg5aoLpyw5oxon_Cj525nUAhBJT4PKublzyjlTkiLA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=101403040072297854519. I will submit it to trustees Wednesday early afternoon, so please sign/respond if you haven't already, and also please circulate it for the next 24 hours.
3. Join a phone zap THIS AFTERNOON from 4:30pm - 6pm - We will be calling and messaging trustees together to make sure they know we want them to hold the line against cuts. https://www.fundourschools.ca/news/event-join-the-fund-our-schools-phone-zap-on-june-17
4. Show up at the board vote. Being in the room reminds trustees who they work for. 7pm - 11pm @ 5050 Yonge St. TDSB Board Room.
Lastly, as we hurtle towards a provincial takeover, I have just dropped an exciting, pre-recorded panel discussion on YouTube - the premiere started at 10:45am so you can catch it now and play it back after the premiere finishes (at noon):
"Preserving Parent Power...during a provincial takeover"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr2pmqf0olw
Featuring former Ontario Premier Hon. Kathleen Wynne, education and disability rights lawyer David Baker, and Trustee Matias De Dovitiis.
Please watch, like, subscribe, & share!
In solidarity,
Katrina