Teachers in British Columbia are back in class this week with students expected to return on Thursday but one local MLA and parent isn’t so sure everything is ready to go.

Speaking on the NL Morning News, Kamloops South Thompson Liberal Todd Stone, says kids already feel anxious heading back to class without having a global pandemic hanging over their heads. “The anxiety is at a whole different level this year. You know, our kids are pretty darned stressed and certainly hearing from lot of other parents who really don’t know what this school year’s going to look like, really feel like it’s been terribly disorganized.”

Stone blames the Horgan government for not having real plan in place. “That lack of any provincial standards here, any provincial protocols that would govern how school districts, all 60 of them around the province, reopen schools is really causing a tremendous amount of confusion and last minute changes.”

Stone recognized the situation is something eveyone has to deal with. “We’re all going to have to embrace as much patience as we possibly can for but it’s regrettable. A lot of this, I think, could have been avoided if the government had actually put a province wide plan in place months ago.”

Stone praised teachers and school districts for doing the best jobs they can, saying they’re been keeping parents posted with as much information as possible.