November 25, 2020 — The four affiliates representing teachers in publicly funded schools, Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO), the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA), and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO), have issued the following statement regarding the cover of the December 2020 issue of Professionally Speaking, the official publication of the Ontario College of Teachers.

“If there was any doubt remaining as to whether the Ontario College of Teachers truly served as a voice of the profession, the issue has surely been settled with the cover of the latest edition of Professionally Speaking. While discussions of appropriate professional boundaries are legitimate, the cover image portraying teachers as predators is beyond offensive. For the College to do so at this moment, when teachers are engaged in the monumental effort of keeping students safe and providing high quality education despite inadequate government funding to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, is unthinkable.

 

With the College having strayed so far from its mandate and the principle of self-regulation over the past few years, teachers already had many reasons to doubt whether their membership fees were being put to good use. This incident is yet more evidence of how out of touch the OCT has become, and how desperate they are to exaggerate their relevance. An immediate apology is owed to the tens of thousands of teachers who work every day to have a positive impact in the lives of the students they serve.”      

 

Anne Vinet-Roy, President of the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO)

 

Sam Hammond, President of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO)

 

Liz Stuart, President of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA)

 

Harvey Bischof, President of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO)