Chants, cheers, and honks filled the air on Taylor Street today, as hundreds of high school students gathered to protest the lack of education funding coming from the provincial government.
One of the protest’s organizers, Kunj Patel, says some classes are as large as 35 students, all of whom are missing out on crucial parts of their high school education.
“Senior games we are missing out on. We are missing out on a lot of labs, fun trips, so many fun activities, and better classes like Chemistry 30 and Physics.”
He adds that there is a misconception that students are angry with the teachers, however his frustration lies with the provincial government, hence why the rally was held outside of Sask Party MLA Don Morgan’s office.
Another concerned student, Ella Heinrichs, seconds that notion, stating that the decline in adequate education funding over the years is extremely evident.
“In elementary school we used to have teacher librarians. You’d go to the library, and they’d teach you about books and they’d read to you. Now, my brother is in elementary school, and they do not have that. It is completely cut out. He is missing out on those experiences that I had,” Heinrichs notes.
She adds that high schools aren’t faring any better, as she has to pay a fee to take part in both her cooking and gym classes.
A third student, Elsa Felstrom, chimes in with her list of impacts that chronic underfunding has had on the typical high school experience.
“A lot of us are missing out on extra musical opportunities, extra athletic opportunities, and that’s a big part of why a lot of kids go to school, so that’s why that’s been really hard. We’ve been lacking a lot of teacher time with the big class sizes…classroom size and complexity has really been interfering with the students’ learning and the quality of their education,” she explains. Felstrom also attempted to focus on the positive aspect of the situation. “There was the opportunity to be politically active, and the opportunity to protest like we are right now and stand up for what we think is important. So, while we are lacking some things, this does come with the unique opportunity to stand up for what we believe in.”
All three students mentioned that the future of the province lies with the students, and they hope that their demonstration garners enough attention from the province to generate a difference in funding for their peers, as well as future students for years to come.
