Even though students are scheduled to return to classrooms on Monday, Quebec’s back-to-school plan is in limbo. Ahead of the final decision, expected on Thursday, parents and teachers are raising concerns about the safety surrounding the return.
Mother Stacy Lawton told Global News that she is torn by the decision to send her four children back to the classroom.
“They need stability, they need routine, they need socialization,” Lawton said, but adds that he is concerned about the lack of a plan in the province to control COVID-19 in schools.
“There’s just not enough information about what the plan is, how they’re going to handle everything and first hand, it’s so contagious,” he said.
The start date of January 17 could change. On Tuesday, the director of public health, Luc Boileau, announced that the final decision on whether or not to follow the plan will be made on Thursday.
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“Thursday is, in my opinion, completely unacceptable for everyone to expect everyone to be ready on Monday morning,” said Corinne Payne, executive director of the Federation of Parents’ Committees of Quebec.
Payne says that parents should be informed well in advance so they can plan accordingly.
Quebec Provincial Teachers Association President Heidi Yetman said Monday that teachers want to be in school because they don’t like being online.
“However, given the circumstances, we really believe that we should not be present on Monday,” he said.
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She said measures like N95 masks for teachers and rapid tests for all grades should be available.
“Right now they are only available in primary and only in recent new developments. They are available to staff,” Yetman said.
Air purifiers are also on your list of measures that need to be implemented. The government has refused to accept that they have any benefit. Some English school boards have gone ahead and bought their own.
“If they are well installed and well maintained, there is evidence that classroom air purifiers work,” said Russell Copeman, executive director of the Quebec Association of English Language School Boards. “Certainly we have confidence that school boards and school administrators can properly install air purifiers and maintain them.”
With time running out, teachers and parents hope their concerns will be taken into account before Quebec makes a decision.
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