WELLINGTON COUNTY – Local teachers’ unions are criticizing the province’s plan to end mask mandates after March break, saying it is premature, rushed and ties the hands of local school boards.
Union representatives say the pending removal of the mask mandate has them concerned about the health and safety of students and staff, the disruption of learning and the existing staff shortage.
On March 9, chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore announced masks would no longer be required in most public indoor settings, including schools, as of March 21.
Requirements for schools to regularly screen students on-site and to keep students in separate cohorts have also been dropped.
Unions say they would have preferred to see masking mandates and other pandemic protocols removed at least a couple weeks later, to properly assess the impact of March break.
“The premature removal of masks at school risks further disruption and jeopardizes safety for our staff, as well as students and their families,” said Jennifer Hesch, vice president of the Upper Grand Elementary Teacher’s Federation of Ontario.
“They’ve experienced longer disruptions in Ontario schools … than they have anywhere else in Canada and once again, are now at risk of further disruption due to this decision.”
Hesch said she’s concerned the fast-approaching June election influenced the decision to lift COVID-19 measures in schools and other areas across the province.
“It’s really concerning that they’re putting politics first and not the health and safety and well-being of the people of Ontario,” she asserted.
She noted the union is encouraging the school board to write a letter to the province’s minister of education asking for an extension on the mask mandate, stressing it’s too soon lift it.
“I think they should have waited at least until a couple of weeks after March Break, just to see what the numbers are like, and then make that decision,” Hesch explained.
David Del Duca, Wellington representative for the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association, agrees.
“I think there is a strong case to be made that a lot of what’s happening now is political,” he said.
“When I hear that they’re doing absolutely everything they can to ensure that our students are protected and that our schools are safe, I don’t agree with them.
“I do think that there’s a very strong political move right now to remove these mandates.”
Del Duca added officials “just don’t have enough information at this time to say that we can remove masks without any risk.
“Without PCR testing … how is anyone really going to be able to effectively know or accurately know what their risk is going out in public [and] going into a classroom with or without a mask?”
He noted the risk of contracting COVID-19 will likely increase after March break, with international travel coinciding with optional masking when students return.
Hesch said even extending the mandate until early May or the end of April to get through the spring months would have been better.
“It just seems a bit rushed, especially after it took so long to put those measures into place,” she said.
‘The school board’s hands are tied’
Both the Upper Grand District School Board and Wellington Catholic District School Board have stated they will allow teachers and students to choose to wear a mask and are also continuing to provide the PPE for staff members that choose to use it.
“But really, the school board’s hands are tied, because the government’s given the power to the public health unit to decide if they’re going to extend the masking mandate,” Hesch said.
“And Dr. Nicola Mercer has already come out publicly and stated that she’s going to follow the guidelines of the government, she’s going to lift it,” which she said was disheartening.
Hesch also noted school boards weren’t given enough time to prepare for the change.
“It’s unfortunate because again, the government drops the ball and makes all these announcements at the last minute and they always leave the school board and teachers and other education staff scrambling to put something into place,” she explained.
Del Duca said he’s also concerned, noting, “Going into March break, making a really big announcement really handcuffs any sort of response.”
In order to have the mask mandate extended beyond the current deadline, Del Duca said the board would have to pass it by the local public health unit and then through Moore and the Ministry of Education.
“And I feel that that really ties the hands of those who have the most impact on education – communities, local school boards – should they decide that it’s safest for their own community to maintain the masking mandate,” he explained.
“They don’t really have the authority to make that decision on their own now.”
Ford: boards expected to lift mandate
Since the removal of the mask mandate was announced, the Conservative government has been pressuring all school boards to remove masking on March 21.
On March 10, a day after the announcement was made, trustees of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board voted to continue the board’s mandatory mask policy until April 15 as a precautionary measure in response to March break.
Subsequently, during an announcement on March 11, when asked about school boards that defy the directive to lift mandatory masking, Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded “our expectations of the school boards, with the exception of parents who want their kids to put masks on, [is that they] follow the direction of the chief medical officer — plain and simple.”
Ford also stated school board officials “aren’t medical experts” so they should simply follow Moore’s advice.
Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner has issued a statement asserting school boards and public health units should be able to make the call on masking.
“The Children’s Health Coalition, including Sick Kids, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, and Children’s Mental Health Ontario said that it’s too soon to remove masking,” Schreiner stated on March 11.
“Public health experts are clear that masks are a crucial layer of protection against COVID-19 spread.
“School boards, in consultation with public health experts, should be able to make decisions on masking.”
Teacher shortages
Another major issue with the province’s decision, Del Duca pointed out, is schools across the province have already been facing teacher shortages.
“It’s been happening locally, independent of the pandemic, but the pandemic has made it that much worse,” he explained.
Since reopening in January, he said it’s been very difficult to ensure the board has all its classrooms covered.
Del Duca noted that between January and the end of February, the board had over 320 instances where unqualified supervisors replaced absent teachers – more than 10 classrooms per day.
“My concern is that if mask mandates are dropped, it’s likely that there’s going to be more transmission in schools,” he said.
Moore acknowledged last week there’s going to be an increase in community transmission once the mandates are lifted.
“My concern as a parent and as a teacher, union leader, is that we’re going to have a massive reduction in the continuity of learning if these teacher absences aren’t being filled by actual teachers,” said Del Duca.
In the absence of widespread PCR testing, Del Duca said he would’ve liked to see the lifting of the mask mandate delayed to allow the province to accurately quantify the impact of the spring break.
“Absolutely, I think it should have been delayed,” he said.
“But I also feel like we’re really not getting a full picture when it comes to transmission.”
