[Your School Name] School Council
[School Address]
[City, ON, Postal Code]
[Date]
VIA EMAIL
Hon. Paul Calandra, Minister of Education
Ministry of Education
22nd Floor, Mowat Block
900 Bay St.
Toronto, ON M7A 1L2
minister.edu@ontario.ca

RE: Opposing Bill 33 and Removal of Elected School Board Trustees
Dear Minister Calandra,
We, the [Your School Name] School Council, are writing to express serious concern about the direction of education governance in Ontario — particularly the recent supervision of the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) and the introduction of Bill 33 (Education Accountability Act, 2024).
These developments represent a troubling shift away from local, democratic accountability and risk silencing the voices of the very communities our schools are meant to serve.
School Councils exist, as outlined in Ontario Regulation 612/00, to:
“improve pupil achievement and enhance the accountability of the education system to parents, through the active participation of parents.”
Our ability to fulfill that role depends on open, transparent, and collaborative governance, which includes working alongside our democratically elected trustees — not watching them be sidelined or overruled. Trustees are our link to the school board. They represent our communities, carry our concerns forward, and help shape the policies that impact our children every day.

Bill 33 Threatens Local Accountability and Collaborative Governance
Bill 33 proposes to grant the Ministry sweeping powers to take control of any school board, bypassing trustees and local governance without clear oversight or due process. The government’s existing use of supervision at TVDSB — including the removal of decision-making from trustees and the cancellation of livestreamed meetings — has already reduced transparency and undermined trust.
We believe parents, trustees, educators, and the Ministry must work together, not in opposition, to improve our schools. Legislation like Bill 33 makes that collaboration harder by weakening the role of elected representatives and reducing space for community input.

We Call for Immediate Action
As a School Council, we have passed a formal motion to:
1.	Oppose Bill 33, which threatens to undermine democracy and silence parent and caregiver voices in public education;
2.	Reject the removal or restriction of elected trustees  who serve as the direct link between families and the school system;
3.	Demand that any actions taken to improve education prioritize community engagement and accountability, not top-down control;
4.	Call for proper, stable, and inflation-adjusted funding to address the real challenges in our schools.

We Specifically Ask That Your Government:
●	Withdraw Bill 33, and engage in meaningful consultation with parents, trustees, and education workers before making structural changes to governance;
●	Reinstate and strengthen collaboration with elected trustees to ensure decision-making reflects the needs and voices of local communities;
●	Invest in Special Education, student supports, smaller class sizes, and safe, inclusive learning environments — not centralized control;
●	Provide equitable, stable funding across all schools to reduce dependence on fundraising and eliminate inequities.

Ontario’s public education system is stronger when local communities are heard and trusted. We urge you to prioritize collaboration over control, and to invest in the people and structures that support student success.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Chair, [Your School Name] School Council
On behalf of the [Your School Name] School Council

cc:
Premier Doug Ford - premier@ontario.ca
Chandra Pasma, MPP (NDP), Official Opposition Critic, Education - cpasma-qp@ndp.on.ca
John Fraser, MPP (Liberal), Critic, Education - jfraser.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
Terence Kernaghan, MPP London North Centre (NDP) - tkernaghan-co@ndp.on.ca
Peggy Sattler, MPP London West (NDP) - psattler-co@ndp.on.ca
Teresa J. Armstrong, MPP London—Fanshawe (NDP) - tarmstrong-co@ndp.on.ca
Rob Flack, MPP Elgin-Middlesex-London (PC) - rob.flack@pc.ola.org
Ernie Hardeman, MPP Oxford (PC) - ernie.hardeman@pc.ola.org
Steve Pinsonneault, MPP Lambton-Kent-Middlesex(PC) - steve.pinsonneault@pc.ola.org