The Ottawa Public Schools Board says masks are mandatory in all schools and buildings, effective immediately.
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is informing parents, students and staff of the new policy after the board approved a motion Tuesday night to require all staff, students in kindergarten through 12th grade , volunteers and visitors wear a mask in schools.
The board also makes it clear that students will not be suspended or expelled for refusing to wear a mask in schools.
“We know there are many different perspectives in the community on mask mandates. This can lead to difficult conversations and can sometimes affect relationships,” Director of Education Camille Williams-Taylor said in a statement to parents. .
“A school is a community and relationships are an issue. We ask for your help in respecting the mandate, respecting each other and keeping our focus on student learning.”
Williams-Taylor says there will be exceptions to the mandatory mask requirements, including:
- People can continue to remove their masks while actively eating or drinking
- It is not mandatory to wear masks outside, but it is recommended
- When a student receives support for a learning need that would be impeded by wearing masks, the masks may be removed during that intervention.
- Students may remove their masks when engaging in higher intensity physical activities in physical education classes or sports.
- Staff working alone in closed spaces, i.e. offices or classrooms, may remove their masks.
Williams says the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board will approach implementation of the mandatory mask mandate from a learning perspective.
“We recognize that there will be instances of non-compliance,” Williams-Taylor said.
“When a student without a waiver refuses to comply with masking requirements, staff are asked to show understanding, promote awareness, and use trauma-informed practices to make efforts to understand the reason for noncompliance and see if a resolution can be reached.”
If a student refuses to comply with the mandatory mask requirements, schools will contact parents/guardians to help the student comply with the mask requirements or to request a waiver of the mask requirement.
Williams-Taylor says the school board has the legal authority to implement a mandatory mask statute for health and safety reasons.
The board will not use suspensions or expulsions to enforce masking requirements.
“We anticipate that most students will comply. However, we respect that some families may seek an accommodation/waiver,” Williams-Taylor said.
“It is important for everyone to respect the rights and choices of others. The best strategy to protect your child is to make sure they wear a mask and are fully vaccinated, practice proper handwashing, complete a daily self-screening, and limit gatherings social outside of school.
Chief Medical Officer for Health Dr. Vera Etches urged employers to encourage the use of masks to help limit transmission.
“Employers have a role to play. I really appreciate that the school board and other employers are thinking about how they can strengthen mask wearing indoors because it adds another layer of protection,” Etches said during an interview on CTV News on Six.
Students are not required to wear a mask on school buses.
Reference-ottawa.ctvnews.ca