'We don't like online learning,' students say as strike looms

Ontario elementary and secondary school students - along with their parents - are bracing themselves for a return to closed schools and at-home online learning if the Ontario government and CUPE-represented education workers do not reach a deal in their current labour dispute this weekend.

Students have already gone through more than one extended period of online learning due to COVID lockdowns, separated from the structure of the classroom, their friends, sports and a variety of extracurricular activities. 

Friday was a PA day for teachers, so SooToday visited Station Mall where a few students shared their thoughts on a possible return to online learning.     

“I don’t like it,” said Heidi, a Grade 10 student at Ecole secondaire l’Oree des Bois in Dubreuilville, visiting the Sault’s waterfront mall with friends on Friday.

“In online learning we’re at home and all doing our own thing. It’s easy to get distracted. We have access to our phones so we don’t pay as much attention to what’s going on, but also the teacher isn't there to help you one on one. It’s going to affect my grades,” Heidi said.

"I don’t think it’s good,” said Haylee, a Grade 11 student at Hornepayne High School.

“I need a teacher in front of me, helping me personally one on one. It’s hard on a screen. You don’t get much communication with the teachers. Lots of people don’t turn on their cameras so you can’t see their faces. It’s hard to listen to a computer and stare at a computer for hours a day.”

“We haven’t had our sports for two years. We just got back into it and with a strike we might not be able to go on our tournaments. That’s going to affect a lot of us. I play volleyball and basketball, and we’re about to go to a volleyball tournament in Wawa in two weeks and now we don’t know if that’s going to be happening or not,” Haylee said.

“It’s really not nice for the kids, them going on strike again,” said Shabnam Shafi, a parent in Mississauga who was interviewed for a Canadian Press story on Friday. “But (the union) should get what they’re asking, I think they have to negotiate and they have to reach a deal that’s good for everybody. The kids need to be in school.”

CUPE has said the two sides recently agreed on a $1-per-hour raise each year, or about 3.59 per cent annually, but the union is still fighting for higher staffing levels for educational assistants, librarians, custodians, secretaries and early childhood educators.

The union and the government are set to negotiate through the weekend. Education Minister Stephen Lecce has said the government put forward multiple improved offers and has not asked for any concessions.

A spokeswoman for Lecce said in a statement Friday that the government is "disappointed" students may be out of school again next week. "Following two years of pandemic disruptions, students need to be in class learning. That’s where they deserve to be. We will remain at the table and ready to land a fair deal that invests more in lower-income workers and most importantly, keeps kids in class," Caitlin Clark said.

Meanwhile local students are anxiously waiting and dreading a possible return to online learning.

“We just got back to a normal school year and they’re taking it away from us already. They're taking away our class time and our high school experience,” said Faythe, a Grade 11 student at Korah Collegiate.

She is not a fan of online learning.

“It gets boring. I lose motivation when I’m at home. The teachers are the ones who motivate me to do my school work and I don’t have that at home.”

“I’m really hoping there isn’t a strike. I missed seeing my friends, I missed the routine (during COVID lockdowns). That’s where I see my friends,” Faythe said.

“I don’t like online learning. If you have to write a test, it’s just so hard," said Aaron, a Grade 12 student at St. Mary’s College.

“It’s been a bit lonely,” Aaron said, referring to previous stretches of online learning during COVID lockdowns.

“You can’t really see your friends. All you see is your teacher and a couple of emojis for people. It’s not the same.”

“I’m not going to like it,” said a Grade 8 Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School student who asked not to be identified.  

“I’m not going to like it because I’m into school sports and I wouldn’t be able to do that any more. I feel like I can’t really learn online because there are distractions in a home environment,” the student said.

“In my opinion, I find online learning annoying because I’m a person who likes school, being with friends and socializing. This doesn’t help at all,” said Jadyn, a Grade 6 student at Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School.

“It’s annoying to have to learn at home and sometimes my eyes get sore from looking at the computer. If I don’t know how to do something, and my parents don’t know, then what do I do? The teachers explain what we have to do, what pages we have to read, what the due date is for assignments and that’s about it.”  

“I just started an outdoor program where you learn outdoors in the morning at St. Kateri. It’s hard to get to know people, to get close to them and make friends for life when you’re at home.”

“I like to be active and it’s hard to be active when you have to sit on the couch and work on a computer,” Jadyn said.

The provincial government previously tabled legislation - Bill 28 - that would have made a strike illegal and imposed a settlement on the CUPE-represented workers.

Earlier this week, the province repealed Bill 28 and CUPE members returned to work, the two parties agreeing to a 3.59 per cent wage increase, but CUPE still wants higher staffing levels and early childhood educators in every kindergarten class.

The Ontario government and CUPE will spend the weekend at the bargaining table, with a deadline of 5 p.m. on Sunday to reach a deal on staffing.

If there is a strike, the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board has instructed its students not to attend school beginning on Monday, Nov. 21.

The Algoma District School Board has stated that all schools in Elliot Lake and Blind River will remain open and lessons will continue in person as those schools will not be impacted by a strike.

In all other areas of the Algoma District, if the strike is still happening as of Tuesday, ADSB schools will proceed with online learning beginning Nov. 24.