Here Are The Schools That Will Close Friday If Ontario Education Workers Go On Strike
Lots of kids won't be in the classroom.
As the fighting continues between Ontario's education workers and the Ford government, students are the ones that are going to get caught in the middle.
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has confirmed it will close its schools for in-person learning Friday, the day a planned province-wide walkout of custodians, admin workers, and education support staff is set to take place.
It is one of several boards to do this.
In a statement sent out Monday night, it said the strike leaves it with "no option but to close".
"This is not a decision that we take lightly and we have explored every possible contingency plan to keep schools open," the statement reads. "Student supervision and safety are our top priorities and without the important services of these school-based employees, we cannot guarantee that our learning environments will remain safe and clean for all students."
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The TDSB is not the only school board that will be closing Friday if the strike does happen.
The Toronto Catholic District School Board clarified over the weekend that a strike would also force its schools to close.
Monday night, the Durham Catholic District School Board confirmed its schools would also close Friday if strike action is carried out.
Outside of the GTA, that same message has come from The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic School Boards.
Education workers have said they are going ahead with a planned strike on Friday, despite new legislation meant to prevent a strike and mandate a new four-year contract that their union hasn't agreed to.
The 'Keeping Students in Class Act' also states workers could face fines of up to $4,000 a day if they go on strike.
At Queen's Park, MPP's returned to the legislature at 5 a.m. Tuesday to debate this legislation, with the Ford government hoping to get the bill passed into law more quickly.
Both sides have said they are open to continued negotiations leading up to Friday.