Not a solution
“While the regulation purporting to ‘ensure access to education for all students’ announced today by the minister of education provides some clarity in response to a recent court case, the solutions it imposes are unworkable.
“Many schools across the province are struggling in the face of widespread outbreaks of COVID-19, influenza and RSV to maintain in-person teaching because of widespread teacher and student illness.
“If schools have no choice but to implement online learning in response to severe staff shortages and limited availability of substitute teachers, they simply will not have sufficient capacity to offer in-person instruction at the same time, as is required by the regulation.
“Decisions concerning mask policy are best made by school authorities in response to local conditions and based on credible medical advice.
“The assurance the chief medical officer of health (CMOH) can impose orders that override the limitations imposed by the regulation is welcome but will only have force and effect if the CMOH can act truly independently and in accordance with the best medical information available.