The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario has issued layoff notices to staff, sparking fierce criticism from the local CUPE chapter over the impact on front-line support services.

“These cuts are a direct attack on the front-line workers who support students and keep our schools running every day,” said president of CUPE 4154 Trudy Scott.. “The board is framing this as an overall reduction of 1.5 per cent, but that does not even begin to come close to the reality of the full impact.. “Once again, they’ve chosen to balance their budget on the backs of education workers.” The CDSBEO is proposing to cut some student support workers, IT workers, itinerant custodians, and reduce administrative contracts from 12 months to ten months.. According to a spokesperson for the CDSBEO, the cuts reflect a shift in priorities for the school board.. While some positions will be scaled back or eliminated, the board said it will be investing in staff focused on improving math and literacy instruction and interventions, student mental health, early years programming, special education supports, and evolving classroom technology.

Catholic District School Board, Ontario education, job cuts, CUPE 4154, student support, school funding, teacher layoffs