Not everyone is pleased with the Ford government’s decision to send most kids in Ontario back into the classroom.
Starting Monday, students in most regions outside of the GTA will be allowed to return for face-to-face learning, but the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario wants to see more money invested in safety measures.
Union president Sam Hammond says with new COVID variants spreading in Ontario, the Ministry of Education needs to do more to keep teachers and kids safe and prevent another shutdown.
“While the measures they have finally put in place will help, they are not sufficient,” Hammond says. “Schools still need smaller classes, mandatory masking for Kindergarten, and CO2 monitors and portable air purification units in every classroom.”
While the province has now mandated masks for students in grades 1 through 3 and increased asymptomatic testing, the union says it’s too little, too late.
ETFO represents 83,000 elementary public school teachers, occasional teachers and education professionals across the province.
