Fear, uncertainty as schools prepare to open

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This article was published 12/08/2020 (1550 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Parents, teachers and administrators have myriad questions about plans to return to school even as the provincial government released its answer key.

Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen revealed the province’s COVID-19 school protocols Thursday. The province stopped short of mandating masks and instead strongly recommends students in grades 5 to 12, school staff and others in schools wear non-medical masks in common areas and where physical distancing is not possible. Individual school divisions are expected to release their own plans by Aug. 17.

The Free Press spoke to stakeholders to get their thoughts on the upcoming school session:

Trustee says to “buy in” to public health plan for schools

Chris Broughton says it would be untrue to say he isn’t hesitant about sending his two children to school in September.

“For a lot of families it’s not a situation of no hesitation; I’d be lying if I said there isn’t some part of me that’s saying ‘is this the best choice for my family?’” said Broughton, the chairman of the Winnipeg School Division board of trustees and representative for Ward 2.

“But the reality is if we as communities all buy in to the recommendations from public health, and we each make a commitment to doing what is necessary to protect ourselves and communities, we can live effectively with this virus.”

Broughton said his division is making “every effort” to ensure a healthy learning environment on its properties but noted more resources are necessary to support the province’s largest school division throughout the pandemic.

“We anticipate that there are going to be some significant costs to operating in this pandemic environment. We’re concerned about some of the facets of operating in this environment, what those costs and complexities are going to look like,” Broughton said, including transportation, remote learning, technology and staffing.

Goertzen did not announce new funding for schools on Thursday but said the government will consider requests from divisions.

Broughton said the division supports the recommendation to wear masks in schools. Next week, it will release its own detailed plan that will address questions from parents, students and staff.

“We very much appreciate the work of the ministry of education together with all of the education partners in developing plans to reopen schools and have students return safely,” Broughton said.

Parents in dark about back-to-school plan

Brenda Brazeau has not decided whether her daughter will begin her Grade 10 year in class this fall.

The mom from Rossmere said two people in her household are immunocompromised and before she sends her child to school, she needs to know how the local division will support her family.

“We want to see what’s coming out next week as to the specified schools and what the school divisions are going to be doing, and our comfort with that,” Brazeau said.

“For our family, it’s going to probably be a last-minute judgment on how it’s going to work and to see what Manitoba Education is going to do for online (education) for immunocompromised families,” she said.

Brazeau, who is the executive director of the Manitoba Association of Parent Councils, said throughout the provincial planning process on educating kids in a pandemic, parents have been left out.

“We’re not getting all the details from point A to point Z,” Brazeau said. “One parent might read into it one way, and another might read into it another way. Until we know for sure, it’s hard to answer all those questions for a (parent advisory council) and for a parent.”

Brazeau said parents she’s heard from have expressed both willingness and concern over sending children to class; most are desperate for more information and engagement by the provincial government, she said.

“I think parents want to have that knowledge so they can make that right decision for their child and family,” she said.

Teachers, school staff have doubts

Patrick Dryburgh has a list of concerns when it comes to getting back into the classroom: sanitization, masks, ventilation, class sizes, compassion, communication, and contagion risks.

The teacher of 11 years said the province’s new protocols did little to soothe his apprehension Thursday.

“There’s just a lot of things out there that have me very, very concerned at this time; but I will tell you, I absolutely hated teaching from home… I love being in the classroom with student. So I still want to get back to school, but I think it has to be done smarter,” Dryburgh said.

Nathan Martindale, vice-president of the Manitoba Teachers’ Society, said members are anxious about plenty of things heading into the new school year, including how to manage and monitor students who have symptoms while in class.

“Teachers are constantly being asked to do more and more in schools,” he said. “This is another responsibility.”

Martindale called on the province to ensure substitute teachers are available.

“The government needs to provide new funding to the local school divisions to help with the shortfall that’s going to happen with substitute teachers,” he said.

Abe Araya, president of CUPE Manitoba, which represents school bus drivers throughout the province, said drivers can’t be expected to enforce COVID-19 safety protocols on buses.

All students in Grade 5 and older are required to wear masks while on a bus and may be asked to sit in the same seat each day. Buses must also be sanitized before a new group of students gets on.

“Their main job is to get the kids from point A to point B safely,” Araya said. “The government has missed the stop on that one. I feel every bus should have two people in there: one to safely drive the vehicle and the other one to enforce some of these rules the government is trying to implement.

“The government should fund it and say it’s necessary.”

— with files from Maggie Macintosh

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca