As schools work to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic, Timmins MPP Gilles Bisson says the provincial government should allow local school boards the ability to tweak plans based on regional situations.
“I do have parents here in Timmins who are concerned about their little ones going back to school, especially special needs children, and people who may have supressed immune systems (and other underlying health issues) but also just regular families,” Bisson said.
“They are being told you have to wear a mask and social distancing should be two metres. (The government) is now changing it to one metre in schools and, in many cases, they are not going to be able to accomplish that depending on the class size.
“So, there is nervousness out there on the part of parents because everyone understands that little ones often pick up flus and bugs when they are in their daycares or schools, and it has a huge potential to spread as a result of how congested those classes can be.”
He explained that a one-size-fits-all solution may not work, given that some areas have been hit harder than others by COVID-19.
"I think that depending on where a person lives in Ontario, the approach that the government has taken is problematic because there are some areas that have higher infection rates than others,” Bisson said.
“I don’t think parents are very comfortable sending their kids back into a classroom where there are a regular number of students, increasing the risk for infection.
“The government should have provided some flexibilities for the boards where they can split a class into two so we don’t have so many students mixing. Instead, it will be just like last year, a regular classroom. That may just in the end become a huge health problem with the next wave, if it does come.
“We’re trying to get the government to change their minds and give that flexibility to the school boards, so they themselves, with their local health unit, can decide what makes sense as far as physical distancing in the classroom and the school.”
Bisson is also concerned that some families may not see keeping their kids at home as a viable option due to a lack of up-to-date Internet access in their area.
“The government keeps on talking about their investments in broadband, but unless you live in a downtown setting… even in Timmins it is difficult because you have people in some areas who have very little access to the Internet. Places like Star Lake and Kamiskotia,” he said.
“So, it may not give parents and students the kind of choice they need.”
Like everyone else, Bisson is anxiously waiting to see how the reopening of schools plays out.
“It will be interesting to see this fall how many students either, by their request or their parents’ request, opt to go by way of Internet learning instead of going into the classroom because of the fear of possibly getting infected.”
