About 200 students walked out of classes Thursday at Riverside High School and stood in the rain to send a message to the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB).
The students are upset over what they call the board's decision to eliminate the International Baccalaureate (I.B.) program without prior notice to students, parents, and staff, causing significant disruption to students' academic planning and future prospects.
The I.B. program is an advanced two-year comprehensive and rigorous pre-university curriculum leading to an I.B. diploma that is recognized by top-tier universities.
On Nov. 5, the board approved a multi-year financial recovery plan to address an over $6.3 million deficit, which resulted in cuts to several programs and services, including the I.B. program and several special education programs.
Tasbeeh Al-Shami is a grade 9 student, who says they will not stop protesting because they were promised that would be able to complete this program.
"At the end of the day what the public board is telling us is that we're not worth the investment. They're not putting in the money for us to study, because at the end of the day we are the future, we are the future politicians, we're the future doctors, and our world is crumbling right in front of us and who's going to save it, if not our generation."
The I.B. program is offered at two secondary schools by the public board, Riverside and Leamington District Secondary School.
Al-Shami was upset at the prospect having to move schools, like to Assumption High School, where the I.B. program is offered by the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board.
"I was in tears that night when they told me they would cancel it because before joining I.B., I felt no use to going to school. I would go to school and come back crying 'Mom, why am I going to school? There's no reason. I'm not learning anything, but after being here I'm the happiest, and we're the happiest when we're academically challenged, and we were given that opportunity and it's being stripped away from us."
Nicole Yazbeck, the mother of a pre-I.B. student, says she and other parents were caught completely off guard by the elimination of the program.
"Without this program, their achievements thus far is for what? They've worked their whole lives. They chose this program. They didn't just walk in and say here I am, they had to apply, they had to get good grades, they had to be well rounded balanced individuals, not sure high academics but also community based."
Yazbeck was also concerned with the board provided transportation, specifically for I.B. students, which she says they are set to lose.
"They applied, they're out of district so they rely on buses. It's not just 'oh I'm going to go to this school that's five minutes from my house', these kids are on the bus for an hour and a half daily. They didn't go to their feeder school, so they left behind their friends, their communities, because they wanted and needed this program."
A spokesperson with the GECDSB says parents will be communicated with within the coming days regarding transportation.
The spokesperson also confirmed that Grade 11 and 12 students currently enrolled in the program will still finish and graduate, with no more students being accepted at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year.
A petition has also been launched at Change.org asking people to support the call for the program to be reinstated.
