Stiles stands with Simao family in calling on Ford for more special education resources in classrooms

QUEEN’S PARK — Official Opposition NDP Leader Marit Stiles (Davenport), Shadow Minister for the Ontario Autism Program Alexa Gilmour (Parkdale—High Park), and MPP Robin Lennox (Hamilton Centre) joined the Ontario Autism Coalition today, calling on the Ford government to finally provide proper funding for special education.

The group joined Hamilton’s Chris and Emily Simao, whose autistic seven-year-old son, Max, was tragically struck and killed by a bus in December. Max was on a modified half-day school schedule due to staffing shortages stemming from a lack of provincial funding.

“Chris and Emily have been living through every parent’s worst nightmare,” said Stiles. “Max should have been at school, one of his favourite things to do. Instead, he was sent home early, because his school didn’t have enough resources to support him.

“The Premier and Minister of Education know very well that these exclusions aren’t new, or uncommon. What happened to Max should have never happened, because Max should have been in class that day. The Ford government needs to do something about the unfairness that students with special needs face because of their underfunding.”

“What happened to Max was preventable. Forced exclusions are not a policy choice — they are the result of government neglect, and they are endangering children,” said Gilmour.

“Nothing can bring Max back, but this government can prevent the next tragedy by fully funding special education and ending the discriminatory practice of forced exclusions.”

Those in attendance also heard from Max’s parents, as Chris Simao spoke to the loss of their son.

“Emily and I will never again have the chance to hear Max’s sweet voice,” said Simao. “To maybe hear him one day say ‘I love you Mom’, or ‘I love you Dad’, or feel his hugs he gave to show us love.

“Our son should have been learning, playing, and being supported at school. If he had been, we believe he would still be here today. We cannot bring Max back, but we can speak his name, tell his story, and demand that children with disabilities are no longer excluded, sidelined, or sent home.”

ADDITIONAL QUOTES:

“What makes this situation even more egregious is that the Ford government is fully aware of this crisis. Families, advocates and organizations like the Ontario Autism Coalition have been raising concerns about exclusions for years and this government has refused to even collect valid data on it, let alone address the issue and attempt to do better.

“Special Education is being dismantled before our eyes in Ontario. We are beyond concerned — we are in crisis. We are calling on this government to end the normalization of exclusion, and to commit to ensuring that students with special education needs are receiving access to full school days and a meaningful, safe education.”

— Kate Dudley-Logue, Vice President —Community Outreach, Ontario Autism Coalition

"No child should ever be sent home because our schools don’t have the resources to help them learn. Every family should have access to a safe public education. My heart is with Max’s family as they grieve an unimaginable loss, and this tragedy is a painful reminder of how critical it is that children, especially children with disabilities, are surrounded by the supports and care they need to be safe."

— MPP Robin Lennox (Hamilton Centre)