Union urging province consult with frontline workers before sending students back to classrooms

Mississauga | Ontario | Politics |

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Published January 12, 2021 at 11:54 pm

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It appears many students in Southern Ontario won’t be returning to classrooms as early as initially intended.

On Tuesday (January 12), the Province announced additional measures aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19, as cases continue to reach unprecedented levels nearly every day.

Part of these measures included pushing back the date when students in Toronto, Peel Region, York, Hamilton, and Windsor-Essex will not return to in-class learning until at least February.

However, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) is urging the Province to consult with frontline workers on a plan that would allow students to return to the classroom safely.

“Frontline workers know best what it will take to ensure their own safety and the safety of their students,” Warren Thomas, OPSEU president, said in a news release.

“They’re worried about things like contact tracing, physical distancing and movement in elementary, secondary and adult-learning classrooms,” he continued.

While many parents are frustrated with the Province’s decision, OPSEU believes it was the right one.

“It’s important to set standardized contact tracing protocols across every public school board,” Thomas said. “It’s not rocket science, so let’s get cracking. Lives and learning are at stake.”

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