During Wednesday evening’s Limestone District School Board meeting, a motion was passed which will see the school board write a letter to Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, the local Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Piotr Oglaza and Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce.
In the letter will be a list of demands pertaining to the return to school for thousands of students across the region and the province.
The last bullet point of the amended motion asks for an update to the School Pupils Act to include the COVID-19 vaccine as mandatory for students.
In addition, the letter will ask for continued tracking and public reporting of COVID-19 cases within schools, the implementation of a ‘test to return’ strategy, as well as funding for COVID-related supplies such as masks and rapid antigen tests.
They’ll also be asking for reimbursement for all pandemic-related expenses, funding for additional staff to help operate remote learning, and that the province work towards being able to offer more internet options for remote and rural students.