My question is to the Premier.

The W. Sherwood Fox school council, along with more than 30 students and parents, sent a package of letters to the Thames Valley District School Board pleading for help. Daily violent incidents and code-yellow lockdowns, more frequent than ever before, have left students feeling scared and anxious about going to school. Parents feel desperate, and they worry every morning when they drop off their kids. Every student’s learning is being disrupted, and the entire school community is being traumatized.

What specific actions will this government take now to deal with the alarming rise in violence at W. Sherwood Fox Public School in London and schools across this province?

Speaker, will this government commit today to provide the funding our schools need so they are safe for students, staff and parents?

Speaker, at a time when kids are struggling more than ever before, I want to recognize some dedicated organizations, teachers, business owners and families who are supporting London West youth:

—organizations like Western University and its faculty, students and staff, who this weekend welcomed thousands of London-area families to campus to experience the joy and fun of discovery during the sixth annual Science Rendezvous;

—teachers like Michelle Massaro at the London District Catholic School Board, who this year launched Ontario’s first secondary school competitive robotics league, developing students’ skills, teamwork and confidence that were spotlighted this month at the Robotics World Championships in Texas and with gold and silver medals at Skills Ontario;

—businesses like Code Ninjas in Hyde Park, owned by Ammar Sokhon and his wife Amani, which this month celebrated the awarding of seven back belts to youth who had created a video game from concept to delivery, including the first black belt in Canada and the first female black belt; and

—families like the parents of a multiple World Karate champion, 13-year-old Kaleb “The Hype” Boyle, who helped pump up the crowd at the Kids Help Phone walk on May 7 and spoke about his own experiences with bullying and the importance of finding someone who will have your back and cheer you on.

Deepest thanks, Speaker, to all those who are helping young people find their passions and soar.

I appreciate the question from my colleague the member for London North Centre. If this government really wanted to improve student outcomes, to ensure better schools in this province, they would consult with the education workers who are delivering the programs in our schools. I’m not confident that there’s a simple fix to this legislation that would deliver the outcomes that we want to see, because it all comes down to engaging with the people who are supporting students in our classrooms. It is reaching out to parents to really understand what it is that parents want to see in our school system, and it is using that information to move forward in a way that meets the needs of students in the province.