BC’s back to
school plan
Stacey Wakelin - Sept 2020
As a parent, I
have almost twelve years of back-to-school seasons under my belt, but this
year's will be the most challenging to date.
As with everything
else, COVID-19 has complicated the way governments, school staff and parents
will be preparing for a return to the classroom. This school year will be
filled with uncertainty and will be like an experiment in many ways.
On July 29, the
B.C. government announced a full return to school for September with a
plan that took many by surprise. The ministry's plan left our family with many
questions as it seemed to contradict the provincial health office's recommendations
of wearing masks, practicing physical distancing and staying in small social
bubbles.
These
contradictions, and the concerns of many teachers, have certainly stoked
worries in our household. When the professionals that spend their days in our
classrooms question the safety or credibility of the ministry of education's
return-to-school plan, we need to listen.
On August 12, the
ministry released the details of an orientation week for K-12 schools designed
to allow staff and students to adjust to the new health and safety measures in
place.
Labelled as a
"gradual restart," staff are receiving two
additional days to prepare, and students will have two days of orientation.
This orientation will be the first time many students return to the classroom
since March, and offers time to practice new safety routines.
But parents are
questioning whether these two days will be enough for children experiencing
additional challenges due to the pandemic and those that rely on extra support
or services.
As parents know,
each school year presents its own challenges for our children. This year will
be the first time many parents feel as though they are choosing between health
and safety or education and social connection for our kids.
The fact remains
that medical experts are still learning about how COVID-19 affects youth, and
this uncertainty creates anxiety among parents.
It has been two
weeks since I co-organized Safe September BC with fellow parent and activist Carrie Bercic. Our
goal was to encourage concerned parents to unite and share their concerns with
education decision makers. We are certainly not alone, with many parents
collaborating online to have our concerns recognized.
We have discovered
that several common threads connect these back-to-school concerns:
Mixed messaging
around the use of masks, the importance of physical distancing and keeping
social circles small. Many British Columbians have been following these rules,
so why is there a new set of rules for our classrooms?
Questions around
the ability for school districts to ensure social distancing in often overcrowded
classrooms, especially since there has been little if any mention of smaller
class sizes.
Hand hygiene is
critical. Will most schools have the facilities and/or supplies on hand to
ensure protocols are followed? Let's not even mention the time it will take to
complete the task throughout the day.
Lack of choice for
those who choose to utilize distance learning options temporarily during
this pandemic. Many students who choose distance learning options will
lose their spot at their current school.
Students have
expressed anxiety about the possibility of bringing home COVID-19 from school.
This concern is especially prevalent in multigenerational homes or homes where
a parent is immuno-suppressed.
As a parent, I
agree with our provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry that our schools
should open and kids return to the classroom to meet their academic, social and
mental health needs. But it is also critically important that they open
safely in order to stay open.
To be blunt, the
B.C. plan misses this mark by a wide margin. Learning groups of up to 120 students and no physical distancing or mask
requirements within those groups create an environment that is perfect for
COVID-19 transmission.
In B.C., our
leaders appear to be basing their return-to-school plan in part on the risky
belief that children do not transmit COVID-19 in the same manner that
adults do.
However, recent scientific
studies show that
children, especially 10-19 year olds, transmit the virus as effectively as
adults. Other provincial governments aren't taking this risk and are reducing
class sizes to enable physical distancing, mandating mask use and redefining
how curriculum will be delivered to students.
Health Canada
states on their website: "it is important to consider that
transmission of COVID-19 in children is not fully understood and that evidence
may change with time." This is after all an experiment, and I am
uncomfortable with a plan that isn't operating with an abundance of caution,
especially as we enter the cold/flu season.
Let's focus on the
adults who work in our schools for a moment: are they being protected? These
teachers, support staff and administrators are our neighbours, and as we know,
adults transmit COVID-19 quite efficiently. The B.C. government's current plan
poses a risk to them as well.
This pandemic is
certainly placing stress on many systems within our country, and highlighting
the many inequities that exist.
One example is our
overburdened and underfunded education system, particularly in B.C. We are
rushing to get our kids back to the classroom to support parents' return to
work and to meet a variety of needs, but we still aren't willing to fund the
system even to the Canadian average!
We expect our
schools to provide childcare, educate and counsel our children, and in some
cases feed them, all with inadequate funding. We also expect school staff to
return to work in a potentially unsafe environment.
We are relying on
a fractured system and an inconsistent plan to keep our kids safe in school.
How does this inspire confidence? How does this create an environment conducive
to learning?
Two recent polls
would suggest many parents say it does not:
Insights West
found only 27 per cent of parents supported sending all
children back full time, with the majority wanting either fully online or a
blended model.
A recent poll of
Canadian families by Leger found anxiety and nervousness about return to school
was highest in B.C. at 63 per cent.
So what would make
me more comfortable sending my kids back to school?
Masks in
classrooms or plastic barriers surrounding desks if masks aren't an
option.
Smaller class
sizes which will enable classrooms to ensure students are physically distanced.
Blended learning
(in class and online) options for students.
Occasional testing
to identify asymptomatic carriers.
At the end of the
day, each family will have to make the choice that feels right for their kids
and unique circumstances. As a family, we haven't decided if our kids will
return to their classrooms, and that decision will be made once our school
district releases their plans.
Many parents are
anxiously awaiting the upcoming news release on August 26, when school
districts send out their stage two plans and offer a more complete picture
of what the year will look like for students.
One area I am sure
we can all agree is that the health and wellbeing of our kids is worth the time
it takes to get this school year off to a safe start. Our communities depend on
it.
Stacey Wakelin is a grassroots community activist who
established BC Families for Inclusivity while also being on the board of
directors of Langley Pos-Abilities Society and Triple A Seniors Housing
Society. She ran for the NDP in the 2019 federal election in the
Langley-Aldergrove riding.
We have to thank
rabble.ca for originally posting this
story on August 20,2020. They have a
whole lot of great stuff on their site. Check them out and support a truly
independent media on-line publication.