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By Connor Gunn

Alberta Teachers concerned for return to school amid rise in COVID cases

Aug 12, 2021 | 11:40 AM

EDMONTON, AB – The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) is “seriously concerned” about the lack of provisions to protect students from COVID-19.

As Alberta is seeing a small rise in COVID-19 cases, the ATA is bringing up points that children who aren’t vaccinated are at a higher risk against the virus.

ATA president Jason Schilling is expressing serious concern for the safety of vulnerable students and teachers as they are ready for a return to the classroom.

“All elementary students and half of secondary students remain unvaccinated. This is an incredibly large group of children left vulnerable, especially with the number of variant cases rapidly growing in Alberta.”

“The government’s elimination of routine testing, tracing, and isolation protocols will leave students, parents, and staff working blind to the exposure risk that could exist in classrooms. Clear and transparent information on the status of this virus in our community is a cornerstone of our ability to protect students.”

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The ATA has released a list of nine recommendations to address COVID-related challenges for the province’s return to school plan.

A list of the recommendations can be found below.

1. Re-establish regular stakeholder group meetings with an additional focus on learning and wellness

2. Provide clear and transparent information concerning the status of the pandemic in local communities and the province

3. Provide provincewide vaccinations, boosters, and rapid testing in schools

4. Protect students and staff who are at higher risk and/or cannot be vaccinated

5. Provide supports to substitute teachers

6. Carefully return to more routine school activities

7. Provide funding for necessary supports

8. Provide funding and a focus on increased support for mental health and well-being

9. Maintain capacity to support remote learning

See the full list of recommendations here.

Schilling adds that “discussions need to be had with the government and education stakeholders to examine these challenges and the impacts that the pandemic has had on the learning and wellness needs of students.”

“Teachers’ voices cannot be cut out. Meaningful discussions need to happen with the minister, and quickly. The return-to-school plan released by the government last June was severely lacking in detail. There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

The ATA finished off by saying they want to ensure Alberta’s students “continue to receive a world-class education.”

In the Lethbridge School Division, classes start August 31 but schools in the surrounding area may differ.