Watch AODA Alliance Chair David Lepofsky’s Testimony at Legislature’s Standing Committee to See how Premier Ford’s Gutting Local Democracy at School Boards Creates Even More Problems

ACCESSIBILITY FOR ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT ALLIANCE

NEWS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Watch AODA Alliance Chair David Lepofsky’s Testimony at the Legislature’s Standing Committee to See How Premier Ford’s Gutting Local Democracy at School Boards Creates Even More Problems

 

April 28, 2026 Toronto: Legislative public hearings on the Ford Government’s Bill 101 yesterday revealed that, apart from the few Government’s hand-picked cheerleaders, there’s overwhelming opposition to Ford’s scheme to take over all of Ontario’s 72 school boards.

 

Only a small fraction of invited presenters spoke for parents. To get a flavour of their many objections, watch AODA Alliance Chair David Lepofsky’s evidence (15 minutes ). No Tory MPP even asked Lepofsky any questions to learn about the serious concerns he identified with Bill 101.

 

Emerging at the hearings were additional new major problems about the bill. For example, Education Minister Calandra wants the bill so he can order that high school students can be penalized for absenteeism by lowering their grades. Witness after witness said that it’s far more effective for the Government to instead target and remedy the causes of absenteeism. Lepofsky argued that the Government’s wrong-headed solution is akin to treating a person for stomach flu by simply duct-taping shut their mouth and nose.

 

When the Minister was earlier challenged that new absenteeism grades penalty could hurt students with disabilities, Calandra said they’d exempt special education students. Yet Lepofsky warned the Standing Committee yesterday that the Minister’s improvised solution would cause more bullying of students with disabilities for what to others might look to them like preferential treatment.

 

There are yet more problems that this legislation will create for students with disabilities. The AODA Alliance did not have enough time before the Standing Committee on Social Policy to raise one. Several witnesses who did not speak for parents applauded the Minister’s plan to reduce the length of teacher’s college by one full term. The Minister applauded this measure in part because it helps train teachers more quickly.

 

Yet this is terrible for students with disabilities. At present, Ontario’s teachers too often don’t know how to effectively teach students with disabilities. Mandatory teacher training must be substantially expanded to require this. For years, parents have advocated for this. The Government-appointed K-12 Education Standards Development Committee’s final report made detailed recommendations to this effect over four years ago. The Government has ignored those recommendations.

 

Shortening teacher training exacerbates this problem. Ontario’s problem is not that we train teachers too much. By comparison, Ontario has a doctor shortage. The solution is not to slash the length of medical school by 25 percent!

 

A minority of witnesses at the Standing Committee who the Ford Government put forward to support Bill 101 did not address or even acknowledge the serious problems that this bill creates for students with disabilities. Instead, the Government and its supporters have set up locally elected school trustees as their all-purpose punching bag who they blame for everything wrong in our schools.

 

Making this worse, on the morning after these hearings, Education Minister Calandra again announced more money for new school construction without ensuring that these new schools will be fully accessible to students with disabilities. For years, the AODA Alliance has demanded that the Government ensure that new school construction be fully accessible. The K-12 Education Standards Development Committee’s final report shows how to do this.

 

For more information on the serious problems with Bill 101 from the perspective of more than one third of a million students with disabilities:

 

Contact: AODA Alliance Chair David Lepofsky, aodafeedback@gmail.com

Twitter: @aodaalliance