Skepticism over provincial plans to enhance physical distancing in schools is rampant.
The Ontario government recently announced it will spend $500-million for that and other improvements, which Rich Seeley, President of a local high school union, calls inadequate.
He says the money is not new, and adds there is not enough in the school board’s reserves, which is where the government is suggesting it draw from. “This is kind of equivalent of someone saying ‘I’m going to let you use your own money to buy groceries this month… go ahead boards’. There’s no new money there, it’s garbage what he (Education Minister Stephen Lecce) announced yesterday in terms of money.”
The union President also questions the ability to use $50-million to fix ventilation systems, air quality and the condition of older schools, this close to the opening in September.
“In two weeks, contractors around the province are going to get around to every school, assess and then fix HVAC systems that have been in terrible shape for the last three or four decades,” says Seeley.
He adds many educators say plans to lease property for extra classrooms proves the government does not know what it is doing. “Let’s look at social distancing…. I mean I could put a little more than 50 people in a 10,000 square foot Walmart, but I’m going to put 30 in a 600 square foot classroom, and that’s OK?”
The high school union President adds they do not want to fight the government, pointing out it is working well with the local board.
