Hundreds of students at a Smiths Falls high school are skipping classes, today, in protest of losing sports, clubs and other extracurricular activities.
About 300 students from Smiths Falls District Collegiate gathered in the school cafeteria passing the time by performing music and delivering speeches on stage.
The protest lasted the entire day.
Coral-Lynn Rubino says students are stuck in the middle of the labour dispute. She started a friendship club, last year, for those who feel bullied and alone at school.
"I started friendship club because me personally I was alone, I barely had any friends, and I was unpopular," says Rubino.
That club has since been cancelled because strike action doesn't allow teachers to provide the necessary supervision.
“Take the bill down the drain,” said Grade-9 student Sean Glas as he braved the stage in front of his peers.
Bill 115 sets a timeline for boards to reach agreements with local teachers’ unions. If there is no collective agreement by the end of December, the government will impose a new contract.
Union leaders call Bill 115 undemocratic – and teachers are withdrawing service and staging one day strikes across Ontario to protest the province’s move.
The McGuinty government says it must hold the line on teacher’s salaries – to deal with a $13 billion dollar deficit, and growing debt.
Larisa Robbins says she’s experienced the results of cancelled glee club practices.
“We performed on Sunday and it really showed that because of the fact we didn't get to practice we were horrible,” says Robbins.
The students at Smiths Falls District High School plan to skip classes again on Wednesday and possibly throughout the entire week.
Watch the full report on CTV News Ottawa at 6 p.m.
