Premier Ford will consult with the province’s medical experts on when students should return

Teacher, parent groups concerned with plan as thousands of COVID-19 cases recorded daily

TORONTO — Ontario is consulting experts on whether some students should return to schools next week, Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday, as teachers called on local public health units to reconsider the resumption of in-person learning.

All students are currently learning online as part of a provincial lockdown, but those in northern Ontario and elementary students in southern Ontario are set to return to schools next week.

Teachers’ and parents’ groups have expressed concern about the planned resumption of inperson learning as the province continues to record thousands of COVID-19 cases every day.

When asked about the matter, Ford told reporters the government would make a decision soon after consulting its experts.

“We’re going to talk to the health table and the chief medical officer and get their advice,” the premier said. “We’ll be announcing that in the next day or so.”

High school students in southern Ontario are set to continue online learning until Jan. 25.

The government kept childcare centres, even those run out of schools across the province, open during the lockdown that began Boxing Day.

Earlier Wednesday, the province’s largest teachers’ union called on all local public health units to reconsider reopening elementary schools next week.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario — which represents 83,000 educators — said health units should use their authority to intervene, especially where transmission rates are high.

Union president Sam Hammond said teachers know that in-person learning is the most effective environment for students but the province is at the height of the pandemic.

“It makes no sense for the government to send students, teachers and education workers back to school while the province is locked for another two to three weeks,” Hammond said in a statement.

The current lockdown will remain in place for southern Ontario until at least Jan. 23, but will lift for northern Ontario on Jan. 9.

Last month, public health officials in the Windsor-Essex region ordered all schools to close due to the rapid rise of COVID-19 cases in that area. Students there transitioned to online learning ahead of the holiday break.