Schools may be open, but that does not mean Ontario’s publicly funded education system is the best it can be. The Ford government’s approach to schooling during the pandemic has been haphazard and incomplete. The government has not done enough to ensure the same health and safety standards for schools as are in place everywhere else in the province. Furthermore, the lack of planning and funding has resulted in chaotic learning conditions, widespread confusion, and unnecessary stress on students, families, and school staff.
There is much more the Ford government could do to improve ventilation and facilitate appropriate physical distancing in classrooms. And school boards need funding to provide in-class and remote learning options that meet the needs of all students, while protecting the mental health and well-being of everyone in the school community.
We should not accept poor planning and half-measures. It is never too late to do the right thing for the safety and well-being of Ontario’s students, education workers, their families, and broader communities. Tell the government we need real investments to ensure that schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic is sustainable and helps Ontario’s recovery.
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