A small group of protesters took a stand outside of the office of the Windsor-Tecumseh MPP looking to protect special education programs locally.
About 25 people rallied outside of Andrew Dowie's office on Tuesday afternoon telling the government to 'keep their hands' off of the RISE program (Reaching Individual Success and Excellence).
There has been concern the Greater Essex County District School Board could cut the program as they face a $8.9-million budget deficit in the upcoming 2024-25 school year.
During the May 8th GECDSB meeting, it was stated by Shelley Armstrong, the Superintendent of Business and Treasurer with the GECDSB, that there is a projected $1.3-million more in Special Education Funding, but that these funds are not nearly enough.
Mario Spagnuolo, the Local President of the Greater Essex Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, stated during the rally that 21 special education positions have been cut locally.
Spagnuolo says students with special needs are the most vulnerable.
"They're the ones that need as much support as possible, so anytime you're talking about cutting special education funding, it's a disservice to our most vulnerable, our marginalized students that need as much support as they can. They're already behind in reading, and math, and to have fewer and fewer supports in place - that's terrible. And it's at the hands of the provincial government that this is happening."
Kenedi Wiley, a local parent, says she used to be in this program as a child.
"I believe this is very frustrating to see, not only for my daughter, my daughter will be in Grade 8 by the time this program is supposed to be demolished. But I have nephews, and nieces, and family, and there's other children in this program that deserve the rights to learn at their own pace, and have their own time, and feel accepted and appreciated in this program."
Wiley says she wishes those with the government and the school board could see the impact this program has.
"I wish that they would sit in this classroom for at least a day, just to see the difference in comparison to regular classroom settings, see their faces light up and the tools that they're able to use in these classrooms to teach these children in comparison to the regular classrooms. There's a huge difference."
The GECDSB draft budget is expected to be presented to trustees for approval by June 18.
The budget submission is due no later than June 28, 2024.