Maria Garito worries about the meltdowns that will ensue and all the gains that could be lost if schools across the province close on Monday.Her five-year-old son, Max, is autistic and non-verbal, and structure is key for him in senior kindergarten.“When you take a child like Max out of school, you dismantle the work that has been done,” said Garito. “It takes them a long time to get back to that. Children on the autism spectrum really rely on routine.”Whether that routine will be disrupted Monday remains unclear. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing 55,000 school support staff, will continue bargaining Sunday with the province and school board associations. All sides returned to the table Friday amid the looming threat of a strike. If they can’t hammer out a deal before Monday, CUPE members — including caretakers, school office staff, educational assistants and early childhood educators — will hit the picket lines. Boards will close hundreds of schools across the province, including the Catholic elementary school in Halton that Max attends.For Garito, who lives in Milton, a school closure means dealing with “a very unhappy child.”“The school worked really, really hard with me last year and dedicated a lot of time in transitioning him to school, getting him used to the routines and getting him used to his support staff,” said Garito.Each week, Max goes to school for two full days and three half-days; in the remaining half-days, he’s in therapy. At school, he requires an educational assistant to help with things such as going to the washroom, accessing his backpack, eating lunch and working with his peers.“Being in school and being loved and accepted is a form of therapy,” said Garito. “Just like every other child in the province, I want him to have the social-emotional connection to his peers and community.“This government doesn’t understa ...
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