Sir: It’s a student’s right to voice his or her concerns to the government concerning the proposed changes to the educational system. But they should be guided to do so respectfully.
Over 100,000 Ontario elementary and secondary school students from roughly 600 schools, walked out of class, on April 4, to rally against proposed changes to the educational system by the Ford government. The educational protests, were not of good taste. I didn’t like some of the signs that students were holding up. They were very disrespectful.
The teachers should not have allowed some of those signs to even be made, let alone shown in public.
Some of the statements that were posted on the signs were nothing but pure bullying. Bullying of any sort is not acceptable, and we as educators have a responsibility to educate our students that it will not be tolerated.
It’s a downright shame that children are allowed to poke fun at adults, especially when they are elected officials. If students have something that they want to bring forth to their government, it should be presented to them in a respectful manner.
Democracy is important, but respect, is equally important. Many, will use “freedom of speech” as an out or excuse, to say whatever they want. But, when someone speaks out, against how the protestors were allowed to demonstrate, they just bully their points of view to try to silence another’s right to “freedom of speech.”
Debra St. Onge
Tilbury
