Despite students being scheduled to head back to the classroom on Monday, parents and teachers are raising concerns about safety surrounding the return.
Mother Stacy Lawton told Global News she’s torn by the decision to send her four boys back to the classroom.
“They need the stability, they need the routine, they need the socialization,” Lawton said, but adds that she worries about the province’s lack of a plan to control COVID-19 in schools.
“It’s just there’s not enough information about what the plan is, how they’re going to handle everything and first-hand, like, it’s so contagious,” she said.
On Wednesday evening, Quebec confirmed that the public health department approved the province’s Jan. 17 return date for elementary and high school students across the province.
Payne says parents need to be informed well in advance so they can plan accordingly. The province originally told Quebecers that it would confirm the date on Thursday, Jan. 13.
Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers president Heidi Yetman, said on Monday teachers want to be at school because they do not like being online.
“However, under the circumstances, we really believe that we should not be going in presence on Monday,” she said.
She said measures like N95 masks for teachers and rapid tests for all grades need to be available.
“Right now, they’re only available in elementary and only upon a recent new development, they’re available for staff,” said Yetman.
Air purifiers are also on their list of measures that need to be in place. The government has refused to accept they have any benefit. Some English school boards have gone ahead and purchased their own.
“If they’re well installed and well maintained, there’s evidence that air purifiers in classrooms work,” said Quebec English School Boards Association executive director Russell Copeman.
“Certainly we have the confidence that school boards and school managers can install air purifiers correctly and maintain them.”