Deep School Cuts Being Planned Premier McGuinty, Your government is demanding deep cuts to staff, programs and maintenance at schools across the province. At Toronto public schools, your government is demanding $84 million in cuts. At Toronto Catholic schools, you are demanding $34.5 million in cuts. Some of the cuts being considered at Toronto Public Schools are:  Closing 60 schools in the next 3 years  Cutting 600 Education Assistants  Closing 77 of 80 swimming pools  Cutting Breakfast and Lunch Programs  Canceling summer school for special ed students  Cutting Continuing Education Programs Some of the cuts being considered at Toronto Catholic Schools are:  Increasing class sizes  Cutting 104 teachers  Cutting textbook spending by 10%  Cutting Secretaries and Principals  Cutting Education Assistants, Counselors and Psychologists for Special Ed students Since 1998, when the provincial government took control of our education taxes, our schools have suffered program, staff and maintenance cuts each year. In the last election, you promised to restore core funding to schools. Instead, funding from the province does not cover essentials such as utilities, staff salaries and maintenance, which means that the schools have to make cuts to pay these bills. I hereby ask that you restore core funding and stop demanding another round of cuts to our schools.