Way down in Ontario,

From Board to Board,

83,000 members walked out

To protest cuts by Ford.

 

Walking the line wasn’t easy,

It was a cold, snowy minus ten.

But we didn’t let that stop us

As we walked back and forth again.

 

The honks of support were plenty,

Coffee deliveries were like a warm smile,

And we felt supported,

Mile after mile.

 

I stand behind those signs that say,

“We would rather be teaching,”

But with the impact of these cuts,

Here I am preaching.

 

Look at this sign,

It’s The Lorax for Ed,

And captures so much

Of what I want said.

 

And so as we walked up and down,

It was all about our special 28:

The kids in front of us each day

That make our lives so great.

 

What is working for them now?

What do we hear and see?

How can we improve on that space or two,

Which continues to drive us crazy?

 

Some talk was about all 28,

And some was about one or two,

But we tried to use this time to reflect,

Making the most out of the striking we do.

 

The change in routine: the days in, the days not,

Is hard for everyone here.

But a good fight is fought,

When we focus on the kids that we hold so dear.

 

Tomorrow we are out one more day,

And next week, twice more.

But with a hope, and a prayer, and some positive vibes,

Maybe there will be some good news in store.

 

We know why we strike,

And that kids matter most.

So let’s continue to stand up,

Hoping soon there will be a toast:

 

To public education,

To supports, and FDK,

To the staff that is needed,

To make the classroom okay.

 

I wanted to be in school today.

I miss the kids, you see.

But some things are worth fighting for:

Who’s with me?