‘It breaks my heart’: Hundreds sign petition after sudden cuts to 50-year-old TCDSB language classes

Hundreds sign petition after sudden cuts to TCDSB language classes. Left: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young. Right: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

A new petition urging Ontario Premier Doug Ford to reverse cuts made to a decades-old language program has gained more than 600 signatures in 24 hours, warning thousands of students could lose access to “a cornerstone of education in Toronto.”

The new push, titled “Keep your word Doug” was launched by Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) Trustee Maria Rizzo on Wednesday in an effort to save a program that’s been around for more than 50 years.

It comes just months after the provincially appointed supervisor overseeing the TCDSB announced that weekday international language programming will be “phased out” in the coming 2026-27 school year.

The move has been framed as an effort to “support the TCDSB in reducing its deficit.” It’s also part of broader cuts that impact long-standing literacy programs and changes to school bell times.

In an interview, Rizzo tells CTV News she’s been heartbroken and feels “disgusted” by the government’s decision and hopes others will rally behind her petition.

“It breaks my heart to see this vital program axed... there’s over 19,000 children who are taking this program from JK to Grade 8... to take that away is very significant to these families,” she said.

A similar petition, launched earlier this year by the St. John Vianney Parent Council, also called for the language cuts to be reversed. It has already gathered more than 2,000 signatures.

‘They made a commitment’

In a letter, Rizzo emphasized that the premier has previously made commitments not to interfere with the program.

“The commitment made by Premier Doug Ford to protect this program must be honoured, for the sake of our current and future generations,” she wrote.

When asked to elaborate, Rizzo said, “More than eight years ago, they made a commitment to the board, saying that they would not interfere with us providing the program. They didn’t give us any money for the program, they didn’t interfere.”

In a statement to CTV News, the board argued the changes were made to comply with Ministry requirements for 300 minutes of daily instructional time.

Similarly, as it was outlined in the province’s memo, the board added that weekday international language programming would transition to Saturdays and that “students will continue to have access to language learning... consistent with programs across Ontario.”

Rizzo says the program operates in 44 schools and allows students to study languages including Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin, Spanish and Ukrainian alongside the regular school day.

With the cuts, she says 77 people will lose their jobs.

CTV News reached out to the Ministry of Education for comment, but was referred to the above statement from board officials instead.

‘Very unprofessional’ decision

President of CUPE Local 3155 and international language instructor Val Di Gregorio revealed to CTV News that staff learned about the cuts only minutes before letters were sent to families.

She says she herself was called into an abrupt meeting on March 26 after being reassured her group had not been “put in the spotlight” or faced any drastic changes.

“I literally finished the meeting with three minutes to go to 4 p.m.,” she said. “(Soon after), my members were already being called by principals, parents and colleagues.”

She described that the rollout was “very unprofessional” and said many instructors who are well into their 50s are now facing unemployment amid a precarious job market.

“Our entire unit is now unemployed,” Di Gregorio said. “Some of these people... how are they going to find a job at the age of 56, 57?”

Di Gregorio also questioned the board’s decision to shift weekday learning to weekends, suggesting that combined Saturday classes with multiple grades would make learning conditions difficult.

“You’ll have like seven grades in one class,” she said. “It’s looking like a babysitting service.”

As president for seven years, Di Gregorio says she has had no direct communication with the ministry or Premier Ford’s office in that time.

She explains that she’s had to communicate most concerns about the international languages program through trustees, who have had their powers drastically reduced this year.

Meanwhile, Rizzo, who hopes this petition will get Ford’s attention, said the cuts send the wrong message in one of the world’s most diverse cities.

“I want to make sure that kids, when they walk through our doors of any school, that they feel that they’re reflected in that school community,” she said. “That they feel that they belong.”