AODA Alliance
NEWS ADVISORY
November 10, 2025
Disability Advocates to Unveil New Strategy to Respond to Ford Government’s Taking Control of 5 School Boards At Queen’s Park News Conference Today 1 PM
What: Advocates for students with disabilities will unveil a creative and catchy new campaign to address problems for special needs students
When: Monday, November 10, 2025, at 1:00pm
Where: Queen’s Park Media Studio
At least a third of a million students with physical, sensory, intellectual, learning mental health, neurological or other disabilities face chronic disadvantages in publicly-funded schools. This blitz comes in response to the Ford Government’s taking over five Ontario school boards and ousting their elected trustees, and advancing legislation that gives the Education Minister more direct control over all Ontario-funded schools.
“What are parents of students with disabilities to do, and who are they to call for help, if their school board isn’t meeting their disability-related needs, especially if there are no elected trustees to ask for help? We need a solution, and we’ll unveil it at our news conference at Queen’s Park,” said Bruce McIntosh, board member and founding president of the relentless Ontario Autism Coalition.
“Hundreds of thousands of parents of students with disabilities across Ontario need to prepare themselves for the even harsher reality they’ll face if the Ford Government gets rid of elected school board trustees across Ontario. Without democratic accountability, they’ll be subjected to the tyranny of unelected and unaccountable senior school board bureaucrats,” said David Lepofsky, chair of the non-partisan Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance which has campaigned for over 15 years for a barrier-free school system for students with disabilities.
“Students with disabilities are underserved and treated as an afterthought in Ontario-funded schools. As parents, we carry the constant stress of having to fight for the supports our kids should already have. Educators want to help but they’re stuck with too few resources and the ability to make meaningful change,” said Julia Evangelisto, co-founder of Ontario Parents for Education Support.
For further information contact:
Contact: Bruce McIntosh 416-451-8315, bruce.mcintosh@ontarioautismcoalition.com
David Lepofsky aodafeedback@gmail.com