The BC Teachers’ Federation says some of its biggest concerns about the province’s back-to-school plan have not been met with classes set to resume next month.
It is calling for seven changes – including smaller class sizes to allow for physical distancing and stricter mask rules for staff and students.
“In an ideal situation, back to learning would mean all schools are safe for 100 per cent of students, teachers, and support staff to return all at once,” said President Teri Mooring. “However, the sharp rise in active COVID-19 cases has many people worried that the government has not done enough to ensure teachers, students, and their families are safe.”
Mooring says the province set up learning groups but made no change to class density – noting it will be impossible to physically distance with 30 people in a classroom.
“All along, British Columbians have been told that physical distancing is the most effective and important measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and teachers are determined to do their part,” she added. “However, you can’t have a group of thirty 17-year-old kids in a typical classroom for hours and maintain physical distancing for them or their teacher. It’s just not possible.”
She says the mask mandate needs to include classrooms, labs, and libraries and not just common area like hallways.
The BCTF is also calling for a hybrid model in which students – especially those with personal or family health concerns – can continue to learn from home. The union also wants dedicated funding for heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment.
Its other asks are to ensure schools and worksites have physical barriers in place when physical distancing is not possible, to ensure there is additional money available to ensure high touch surfaces are cleared twice a day, in addition to regular cleaning, and also that accommodations are made for teachers who are immunocompromised or have chronic health conditions.
“The government and the office of the Provincial Health Officer have done excellent work on enhancing contact tracing strategies, but our members are rightly concerned that not enough has been done on preventing the transmission of the virus in schools,” Mooring added.
“The learning groups concept will work for contact tracing, but the plan doesn’t include adequate preventative measures within the learning groups. BC teachers, and the families they go home to, need more protection.”
While schools are set to reopen to students on September 10th, school districts are to post their back-to-school plans online by August 26th.
