Back-to-school cartoon captures moment perfectly

Michael de Adder’s cartoon depiction of a frightened child caught in the middle of a tug of war between parents and bureaucrats raises the question — how safe it is for Ontario’s two million students to return to school in the middle of a global pandemic?

Education Minister Stephen Lecce has been stitching together a back-to-school plan that is constantly changing. Parents are uncertain whether they should send their children back or keep them home to pursue virtual learning.

Boards of education are in the process of deciding staffing numbers for their schools. Yet the Ministry of Education has rejected a return-toschool plan submitted by the Toronto District School Board, prompting a two-week delay to the start of classes in that board, the largest in this country.

This staggered approach pleases many school boards as they have more time to get their plans in order. In hindsight, the government should have had an organized plan in place months ago by committing to a more generous funding model for these unique circumstances.

The nervous expression on the face of the child in De Adder’s cartoon reflects the way everyone is feeling.

Let’s hope for the best.

Robert Ariano, Scarborough