Small classes, masks crucial for reopening, teachers union says
OECTA president says government hasn’t given boards ‘much direction’
When Ontario schools reopen this fall, staff and students in all grades should wear face masks and class sizes must be smaller or the province is “gambling” with lives, the head of the Catholic teachers union says.
“There certainly needs to be hand sanitizer, handwashing stations, thorough cleaning of schools … and there needs to be that ability for distancing within classrooms, and certainly for students and teachers to be wearing masks — and any adults, or anybody in the building, needs to be wearing masks,” she told the Star in an interview Monday after making public an email sent to Education Minister Stephen Lecce.
Lecce is expected to announce plans for school reopening for the fall and has given boards until Aug. 4 to submit their specific plans on dealing with COVID-19. The province has asked boards to prepare for onlineonly or a full-time return to school or a mix of the two with safety protocols in place.
In her email, Stuart — who heads the 45,000-member union — wrote that “the reopening of schools in the province of Ontario is arguably the most sensitive and significant aspect of Ontario’s reopening plan, and if not done successfully, school reopening could devastate the opportunity to protect Ontarians of all ages from a detrimental second wave of COVID-19 … which could also derail any hopes of economic recovery.”
She said it’s time for the government to listen to those on the front lines about their concerns about safely starting up school this fall.
The government, she added, “has not given boards much direction” with little over a month before school is to begin. On Monday, Premier Doug Ford said Lecce has spoken to a number of Ontario boards and is consulting with health and pediatric experts. Ford said he knows people need answers, “they want certainty at home,” and an announcement is coming this week.
“They want to make sure that when they go back to work in September, their kids are taken care of in a safe environment — and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. Our No. 1 priority is to make sure that kids are back in the classroom and that they’re in a safe environment.”
Lecce has also said the government will announce additional resources and supports for boards’ extra costs because of COVID-19.
The Liberal party released a report that said $3.2 billion is needed in one-time funding to hire extra teachers and custodians and implement other safety measures.
NDP education critic Marit Stiles said: “Getting children safely back to school five days a week should be this government’s top priority. And it’s not too late.”
There is still time to hire enough teachers and education workers and secure temporary classrooms for students to have more small, safe classes in the fall, she said.
A number of boards have proposed smaller classes when kids do return, with the Toronto board proposing a couple of scenarios, including all elementary classes set at 15 students, or a mix with primary students in classes of 15 and those in Grade 4 to 8 in classes of 20.
Last week, the Toronto Catholic board voted in favour of a full-time model that would see classes remain as is, with one trustee saying that reflected the view of some that the government would not ante up enough money for smaller cohorts of kids.