Greater Essex County District School Board Chair Jessica Sartori says there are more loses than wins after recent changes to education released by the province Friday.
The announcement laid out plans to increase class sizes at the post-secondary level and maintain class sizes for kindergarten to Grade 3 while establishing a consistent approach to class sizes in Grades 4 to 8.
A new math curriculum will also focus on fundamentals with a renewed focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math or STEM, skilled trades, and financial literacy.
"Certainly students need to have a good math foundation and I'm supportive of that. We'll see how far back they're going to strip this curriculum," says Sartori, who says the current program is focused on critical thinking through mathematics.
While the increase in class size for older students is a concern for Sartori, she's glad the youngest kids will still get the time and attention they need.
"I'm glad that they seem to have, for now, left full-day kindergarten alone. Early child development and education is an important part of success," she added.
Sartori says she's relieved to see aspects of the sex-ed curriculum resurrected, but mental health and wellness is an area the province seems to have overlooked that needs to be addressed.
"In a community like Windsor and Essex County, where we know one in four kids are living below the poverty line," says Sartori.
Sartori is also scratching her head over the provinces stance that increasing class sizes at the high school level won't affect the quality of education for students or jobs for teachers.
She says the math simply doesn't add up.