TDSB’s Enhancing Equity Task Force would like to phase out optional attendance, the mechanism that gives students the choice to go to programs outside of their assigned “home school” and that gives them access to specialized schools and programs such as Claude Watson, IB, SATEC and much more! Although the latest proposal doesn’t mention phasing out specialized schools and programs, it does not explain how they could continue to accept students from out-of-catchment without optional attendance. Nor does it explain how all students across TDSB could access these programs. Instead, they would like to implement opportunities in local school clusters.This would effect thousands of students and teachers across the board and would jeopordize some of the most prestigious programs, not only across Canada, but in North America. Once this is implemented, optional attendance will also be phased out. These new programs that would be implemented would either be worse in quality or require more funding. The reason the current programs are so successful is because of the passion and devotions that went into the creation of them. Their reputations have been built up over many years. This petition is to allow the voice of students, teachers, and parents to be heard!