Windsor-Essex Virtual Open Forum Discusses Reopening of SchoolsOn August 9, Education is a Right Podcast organized a virtual Open Forum for educators, students, parents, and other concerned community members in the region of Windsor-Essex to discuss plans for the reopening of schools. The forum was called in the context of the Board of Trustees of the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) holding a special meeting August 11 to approve their local plan based on the provincial government's guidelines that neither impose nor fund minimum physical distancing standards in elementary schools.
Participants in the forum included students, elementary and secondary teachers, both permanent and occasional, support staff from a variety of areas including speech and language, educational assistants and counselors, as well as concerned community members and parents. They decided that a summary of the discussion would be provided to inform others about concerns and everyone was encouraged to contact their trustees before August 11 when the public school board was to meet to receive its plan for reopening. The summary that was produced was e-mailed to all trustees in advance of the meeting. In addition, everyone was encouraged to contact the local public health authority to express their concerns and demand that schools not open unless proper physical distancing is funded, especially in the elementary panel, and to sign and share a petition to that effect addressed to the local Medical Officer of Health. Go to the Linked document titled -- Summary of the Discussion.
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It
was held while Windsor-Essex continued to have
community transmission
and outbreaks of COVID-19 in a number of
workplaces despite moving into
Stage 3 reopening. Stage 3 calls for observing
public health
guidelines and physical distancing requirements.
It was noted that the
government's school reopening plan makes this
impossible
where full attendance is required in all
elementary schools. This added
an extra layer of concern over reopening plans
as opening schools
where there is community transmission represents
a danger, not just to
students and staff but to the entire community.