A new poll finds that most Ontario residents point to underfunding, and not school board trustees, for the challenges faced in schools.

The poll, conducted for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), finds 60% hold the Ford government responsible for the underfunding that has hurt the delivery of school classroom services.

Sixty-six percent also favour an immediate $260 increase per student as a start.

“Ontarians know that the biggest problem for education is provincial underfunding,” states Fred Hahn, the president of CUPE Ontario.

“The cuts that hurt students, schools and education workers aren’t the fault of local and accountable school board trustees. In fact, Ontarians value the people who are democratically elected to represent communities’ and parents’ interests.”

The poll was conducted in early September amid comments from Education Minister Paul Calandra and Premier Doug Ford regarding school board governance and the potential of trustees being eliminated.

Forty-six percent of respondents feel the Ford government is manufacturing a controversy to distract from their record on education and other issues.

The poll found only a third of respondents supported the idea of eliminating trustees or restructuring school boards.

Another 37% are opposed, while a quarter of residents were unsure.

The poll also found 33% felt any change to school boards would worsen schools and the education provided.

Twenty-eight percent said it will lead to improvements.

Ontario is providing a record $30.3 billion to school boards this school year, a figure that the Ford government has described as historic.

CUPE says funding for education has not kept up with inflation, and has worsened since the Progressive Conservatives took power in 2018.