ATA President Jason Schilling. (Supplied by Alberta Teachers' Association)

By David Opinko

ATA president meeting with Education Minister to address back-to-school concerns

Aug 17, 2020 | 4:29 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Many parents have voiced their concerns about the Government of Alberta’s school re-entry plan, and now, teachers are doing the same.

At the recent 2020 Annual Representative Assembly, 450 teachers representing all teachers in Alberta’s 61 school districts called for a more comprehensive plan that fully takes into account the needs of educators, students, and parents during a pandemic.

Jason Schilling, President of the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA), says some of the concerns raised include whether schools will be able to fully implement social distancing when classes have 30-40 students and hallways can have hundreds at a time, as well as if they will have adequate funding to purchase PPE like face masks and hand sanitizer.

Having taught for many years at Kate Andrews High School in Coaldale, he is not sure how cleaning will work.

“We don’t always have a custodian through the course of the day. There’s chunks of time during the day where some schools don’t have custodial staff, and when you’re talking about the health measures that’re in place, that’s unacceptable now.”

Week-in-review: Municipal election changes, a leadership debate and green bins

Apr 27, 2024

What's Happening in Lethbridge this weekend: April 26, 2024

Apr 26, 2024

Week-in-review: Federal Budget, water agreements and success for tourism industry

Apr 20, 2024

Another issue is that Schilling claims the province has not put together a solid plan in general.

“A lot of the planning around scenario one has just been kicked to school boards in order to do that. One of our concerns is that you don’t have a minimum standard then of protocol across the province of what the expectation is for teachers and parents and students when they go to school.”

Schilling has set up a meeting with Education Minister Adriana LaGrange on Wednesday, August 19 to address these concerns.

He believes there is a difference between “hearing” and listening”, and his hope coming out of this meeting is that the minister will truly listen to what people across the province are saying.

Earlier this month, the ATA put together their list of teachers’ seven priorities for a successful and safe re-entry to Alberta school buildings. They are as follows:

• Form a multi-stakeholder working group to advise on common standards and practices that will inform school re-entry plans, operating standards, and policy direction
• Ensure that scenario implementation responds to community spread while providing clear information about how schools will transition between scenarios
• Ensure the reduction of viral spread by increasing outdoor air exchange and improving ventilation and filtering
• Create conditions for social distancing by creating smaller classes, and mandate the wearing of masks or shields in school and on buses if social distancing is not possible
• Provide funding for increased daytime caretaking staff, masks, and cleaning supplies
• Take steps to protect students and staff who are at higher risk
• Create provincial and local COVID-19 response teams and plans

With the first day of classes being September 1, however, Schilling’s meeting with LaGrange will take place just two weeks before school starts.

He says significant changes will need to be implemented before the beginning of classes.

“If we have to do something like B.C. and Saskatchewan [have] and delay the school year to ensure that a lot of these things are in place, then it’s something we should be doing.”

READ MORE: Province announces schools will return to near-normal operations in September

READ MORE: What schools in Lethbridge might look like this fall