SOUND OFF: NDP have not given British Columbians enough details on ‘back to school’ plan

‘BACK TO SCHOOL’ carried with it a whole new set of anxieties for students, parents and teachers last year, as we did our best to get kids back in the classroom in the midst of a global pandemic. While this year we have the benefit of widespread vaccinations, the challenges of launching a return to the classroom during COVID-19 have not altogether disappeared. Decision makers need to be conscious of that fact and provide educators, students and their families with a clear picture of what this school year will look like. Unfortunately, that has yet to occur.

Last Tuesday, Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside was joined by Dr. Bonnie Henry and Minister of Advanced Education Anne Kang to deliver the government’s plan for back to school. However, while the press conference lasted for nearly an hour including questions from reporters, the public was left with many more questions than answers about the year ahead.

The NDP announcement was marked by a general lack of important details. Studies have shown how crucial proper ventilation is in our schools and classrooms, especially against the rising COVID variants, and yet the minister could not give specific data about the progress of the promised safety and ventilation upgrades in schools throughout B.C. — even though more than $240 million has been given by the federal government for this purpose — or give answers about how notifications of COVID exposures would work this year. Last year, parents depended on information about exposures collected by volunteers on local Facebook groups — will the government be able to provide that information themselves this year?

While our schools may have the added protection of vaccines as more and more British Columbians receive their first and second doses, there are still many B.C. homes with immune-compromised children and family members where COVID exposure events bring significant dangers to their loved ones. Despite rallies and protests from British Columbians calling for more hybrid and remote-learning options for their children, the NDP have offered them few resources, options or even information to accommodate staff and students who want to continue their education but feel that the classroom is still too risky of a place for them.