3 functional closures of B.C. schools since students returned to in-person learning
It’s been one week since students returned to the classroom for in-person learning since the extended three-week winter break, and already, there have been three schools forced to briefly shut down.
Both Armstrong Elementary in the North Okanagan and Hazelton Secondary School posted notices on their website explaining that a “staffing shortage” had prompted temporary closures.
“Those are areas in the province where the teacher shortage is just particularly dire,” said Teri Mooring, president of the BC Teachers’ Federation. “It’s not surprising that these are the areas where we're seeing the first few functional closures.”
She said the third school that closed was an independent school in Surrey.
In Armstrong, the staffing shortage was caused by teachers exercising their right to refuse unsafe work and filed claims with WorkSafe BC.
Graham Gomme, president of the North Okanagan-Shuswap Teachers Association, did not respond to CTV News’ questions about how many teachers filed unsafe work claims and did not elaborate on the situation, but hinted the issue of masking is to blame.
“Most of the teachers felt unsafe working at the school and several have stayed home because of the number of students not wearing masks,” Gomme wrote in an email.
Since Oct. 1, 2021, a mask mandate was expanded to include all K to 12 students.
There are some exemptions allowed, including students who cannot tolerate a mask for health or behavioural reasons, but Mooring said some students are refusing to wear masks altogether.
“This has been an issue for some time. And I think it's become much more intense because people are much more concerned about how transmissible Omicron is,” she said.
Jennifer Heighton, an elementary school teacher and co-founder of Safe School Coalition, said she’s spent the first week preparing her students in case her school is also forced to close.
“We were all told to make sure that they were familiar with the computer systems,” she said. “For some of them, it was the first time they’ve ever used email so that was interesting and it takes time to get it ready.”
She said it was concerning that already three other schools have had to functionally close.
“There's only been very few days and so to have three so quickly, it was quite surprising. Although with the Omicron being so incredibly transmissible and the fact that it's spreading in the community so much, I guess in some ways, we shouldn't be surprised,” Heighton said.
To help make schools safer, Burnaby company Vitacore is donating 100,000 N99, N95 and FFP3 respirators to teachers through the BCTF.
“Personally as a parent, I'm very grateful for all the work that they're doing right now,” said Mikhail Moore. “We are behind them and it gets the conversation rolling about, you know, what a high level of protection, specifically respiratory protection, within schools looks like. But there's a lot of work for us to still do.”
Some school districts have made the investment for HEPA filters.
Federal funding for better ventilation in schools also means some headway is being made, said Mooring.
But some teachers would like to see the province set up by prioritizing booster shots for teachers and providing N95s.
“Every safety measure that we're calling for, is all designed to keep schools open and safe,” Mooring said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.