Concerns over resumption of in-class instruction spike as kids return from Christmas break

Should the provincial government temporarily dismiss in-class instruction at BC schools?

Many parents believe it should be halted for another two weeks similar to other provinces after it was discovered 50 new cases of COVID-19 emerged over the Christmas break in relation to a Surrey high school.

A petition, which has garnered over 60-thousand signatures so far is calling for such a move.

BC Teachers Federation President, Teri Mooring spoke with Vista Radio.

“It really shows that many parents are unsatisfied with the safety measures that are currently in place in the schools and we have been calling on those additional safety measures to be put in place as well because teachers are also dissatisfied with the measures in place at schools.”

“We are in a position post-break where it’s unknown how many families got together over the Christmas break, it’s unknown the role of the variant that we have seen in other jurisdictions as well.”

Mooring stated there isn’t a community in the province, including the north, that’s immune from contracting the virus.

“We have in fact seen the virus in virtually every community in the province and even in places where the density isn’t as high, there is still a benefit to putting these measures in place.”

The BCTF continues to lobby for a stricter mask policy as well as a 15-student cap on class sizes similar to what is being done in Vancouver.

Last month, a number of staff members at Heather Park Elementary in Prince George called in sick and were awaiting the results of their COVID tests.