Unions have been pressing the Ontario government to close all schools for in-person learning or vaccinate teachers

BY PAUL JUNOR

The announcement of the closure of in-person learning in schools across Ontario by Ontario Education Minister, Stephen Leece and Premier Doug Ford on Monday, April 13^th, 2021 caught many people by surprise.

The education unions have been pressing the Ontario government to close all schools for in-person learning or vaccinate teachers. This message seems to have fallen on deaf years. For weeks, Premier Ford and Education Minister Leece have been insisting that schools are safe even though the cases of COViD-19 have been rising especially the incidences of the variants of concern (VOC).

The Toronto Star reported on Saturday, April 11^th, 2021 that Minister Leece stated that Ontario schools would be open for in-person learning after the April break. He wrote a letter to Ontario parents, in which he states, “During the provincial emergency brake and the provincial stay-at-home order, all publicly funded and private elementary and secondary schools will remain open for in-person learning with strict health and safety measures in place, except in those regions where local public health units have directed schools in their areas to pivot to remote learning.” 

The letter indicates that that there will be the following extra steps of protection:

• On-site confirmation of screening of students and staff
• Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting during the April break
• Province-wide asymptomatic testing expansion
• Voluntary health and safety refresher training upon return from April break
• Outdoor learning whenever possible

There were many negative reactions to this letter from Minister Leece. Many felt that he was being overly simplistic and naive and did not comprehend the gravity of the COVID-19 crisis as the numbers of positive cases increase in schools in Ontario.

On Monday, April 12^th, 2021 Premier Ford told the media that with the rising numbers of positive COVID-19 cases, the increase in variants of concern, as well as the surge in hospital admissions forced the province to close schools after the April break.

Mississauga News reported on April 12^th, 2021 that Premier Ford stated, “We are seeing a rapidly deteriorating situation with a record number of COVID cases and hospital admissions threatening to overwhelm our healthcare system. As I have always said we will do whatever it takes to ensure everyone stays safe. By keeping kids home longer after spring break we will limit community transmission, take pressure off our hospitals and allow more time to roll out our COVID-19 vaccine plan.”

The province has given private schools up to April 15^th , 2021 to switch to remote learning. It will be up to health officials to decide when it is safe for in-person schools to resume after analyzing data. Boards will have to provide support for students who are in special education programs. Education Minister Leece states, “This was not a decision we made lightly, as we know how critical schools are to Ontario students. Our priority has always been to keep schools open, however sharply rising community transmission can put our schools and Ontario families at risk.”

 So far, only teachers who are in direct contact with students in special education, or those who work in schools which are located in the hot spots in Peel and Toronto programs are able to receive vaccination.

 NDP Leader Andrea Horvath told CTV News on Monday, April 12^th, “We all know Doug Ford walked right into this school shutdown with his eyes wide open. We knew this was coming. People feel like the province is dissolving into chaos. The government literally ignored the advice of their experts.”

Liberal Leader, Stephen Del Ducca has gone further and requested that Minister Leece be fired because of his incompetence. He released a statement which states, “Just yesterday, Minister Leece wrote to parents telling them that all publicly funded schools would remain open after the April Break, One day later, Doug Ford is closing them for weeks.The in-fighting between Doug Ford is putting our children and education workers at risk, and Leece should be fired for it.”