FACE students form human chain to protest Quebec education cuts

Parents, students and educators from more than 90 schools across the province held simultaneous protests before classes this morning, to denounce the Couillardgovernment's education cuts.

About 50 peoplechanted "Don't touch our schools" andformed ahuman chainaroundFACE school, a Fine-Arts-focussed school run jointly by the English Montreal School Board and the Commission Scolaire de Montral.

Schools in eight other regions, including theGatineau area, theQuebec City area, and the Gasp peninsula also participated.

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In March, theQuebec government announced the province'seducation budget would see an increase of only 0.2 per cent, which amounts to a cut, when the rate of inflation is factored in.

Parents are concerned provincial cuts to education will mean the elimination of jobs, such as librarians and resource teachers, and reductionsto school bus services.

"It's not a neighbourhood school, it's got a really good arts program and the bus was provided so it was really great [even]if we didn't live really close to the school," said Jennifer Roberge, who has two children at FACE."It became a more accessible option for us."

Education ministerFranoisBlaishas told school boards they should be able to absorb the cuts without affecting services for students, something protesters say is not possible.

"There have been waves of cuts over the past few years and now, all of the fat has been trimmed," said Pascale Grignon, spokesperson for the "Save our Public Schools" movement."We're hitting flesh and bone."