As students who committed to the grueling intellectual journey of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, my friends and I are deeply dismayed by the decision taken by the Windsor Essex Public School Board. This decision disregards the promises made to us and dismisses the hard work we have invested to reach incredible heights. Being part of the pre-IB programs from grade 9 and 10, we were looking forward to expanding our academic and personal growth, potentials that extend way beyond what regular schooling can offer.

The IB program has an established record of providing students not only with an excellent education that is recognized globally but also enhances their critical thinking, nurturing them into becoming global citizens. Topics covered in the IB curriculum are extensive, holistic, and interdisciplinary, equipping students not just for university, but also for life. For us to lose this would be an enormous missed opportunity on the part of the Windsor Essex Public School Board.

The decision to terminate the IB program will not only hinder our progress but also disrupt the educational growth for current students in grades 9 and 10, who, like us, had aspirations for completing the IB program. As such, we urge the board to consider least grandfathering in current students in the pre-IB programs.

This is not just about us, but the future generations of students who could be deprived of the chance to excel in such a esteemed program. We therefore appeal to the Windsor Essex Public School Board to reconsider its decision. Your signature could be the vote that saves the IB program for us and future students. Please sign our petition.