Barriers would help make schools safer

Dear Editor:

As much as we agree with the BC Teachers Federation that classes should be smaller and masks should be worn during this pandemic, we must point out an extremely important protection factor that has been missed, namely, installing barriers.

WorkSafeBC has listed four levels of protocols.

The first is to reduce the number of people in the workplace. The BCTF is addressing this by calling for smaller class sizes. This could be helped due to the fact that many students should be able to continue to study at home.

The second is to introduce barriers for protection. Neither the BCTF nor the government has mentioned this at all, to our knowledge. We really don’t think it is too far-fetched to come up with some solution for students and teachers to be able to work behind individual barriers, perhaps plexiglass or hardboard of some sort or cubicles instead of desks, or even shower curtains, for that matter.

The third protocol is to use rules and regulations for cleanliness and movement. These protocols have already been addressed mostly at the school level. For example, sanitizing stations, disinfecting, separate entrances and exits, one-way walking routes, etc.

The fourth protocol is to wear masks. This is the second protocol the BCTF is advocating, yet it is the fourth and last protocol recommended by WorkSafeBC. Not only that, the jury is still out on the real effectiveness of wearing masks. It’s safe to say that many adults have reservations about how effective it would be for kids to be wearing masks in the first place.

It’s a mystery why the BCTF neglected to call for barriers of some sort before advocating a measure that is not completely proven. Barriers seem to be a viable solution, possibly expensive, but then who are we protecting?

It might be interesting to note that when this pandemic first broke out last March, school secretaries were given plexiglass barriers. We absolutely do not begrudge this fact, but there was no provision like this for students and teachers, which still continues.

Because this is so time sensitive, we urge Central Okanagan Public Schools administration to implement individual barriers in schools for our start up in September. After all, we’ve had an entire summer to get something like this in place.

We would hope that the BCTF and our local union, the Central Okanagan Teachers’ Association, would support the second protocol, barriers, advocated by WorkSafeBC.

Richard Knight, retired school administrator and teacher, SD 23

Mariam Rajabally, teacher, SD 23