On May 27th, the Premier, in a letter to education stakeholders and health experts, asked a number of questions about re-opening schools, chief among them:

• Is the reopening of schools for in-person learning safe for students?
• Is the reopening of schools for in-person learning safe for teachers and all education staff?

People for Education has amalgamated some of the advice the province received :

• Ontario Public School Boards’ Association
  • decisions about whether it is safe for students and staff to be in schools should be made by public health experts.
  • if deemed safe, a return to in-person learning would end school on a positive note for a year that saw many interruptions.
  • prioritize of education workers in any vaccination plan
  • OPSBA also released a Discussion Paper to guide school re-openings and next steps: Transitioning from the COVID-19 School Experience
• Ontario COVID-19 Advisory Science Table
  • Schools can re-open safely on a regional basis, on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the local Medical Officers of Health, School Districts, and health system partners. Schools that re-open should maintain their public health measures vigorously.
  • Schools play a unique role in our society and should not be grouped together with other sectors when considering re-opening plans.
  • summer will provide an ideal time to make the whole school system even safer by continuing to improve ventilation in school buildings and by vaccinating students.
  • Ontario should now start developing recovery plans to address the long-term mental health, health and educational problems arising from COVID-19-related school closures. This will require investments.
• Ontario Teachers’ Federations
  • meaningful dialogue requires more than a 32 hours’ notice to respond to questions better suited to those in the medical and public health communities.
  • convene an advisory table of all education stakeholders to address the health and safety needs of schools and the learning challenges faced by students because of the pandemic
  • work collaboratively to implement the health and safety measures called for by public health and education experts, including smaller class sizes to allow for proper physical distancing, improved ventilation and air filtration systems in schools, and robust tracing and testing protocols to stop potential outbreaks before they begin.
  • ensure that teachers and education workers are prioritized to receive vaccinations.
• Ontario Principals’ Council
  • open of schools on a regional basis, in consultation with local public health units, based on local medical data.
  • everyone working in schools [should have] the opportunity to have their first vaccination, and preferably their second, as soon as possible.
  • if schools are not able to open by the week of June 7, then we don’t think they should do so this school year, as there would not be adequate time to make the return possible and practical.
• Canadian Pediatric Society
  • disappointed that input is being sought at this very late stage, when the urgency of a decision leaves little time for meaningful discussion.
  • it is safe for students to return to school if the guidelines for safe return are followed. (ED: the guidelines said, “Smaller class sizes should be a priority strategy as it will aid in physical distancing and reduce potential spread from any index case.”)
  • Many [children and young people] are in serious distress, presenting with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, substance misuse, and eating disorders…we are gravely concerned about their well-being in the weeks, months, and indeed, years to come
  • less than 3% of all cases in Ontario throughout the pandemic have been school-related. your letter…is misleading
• People for Education
  • Opening schools for in-person learning should be decided on a regional basis under the guidance of local Medical Officers of Health – working with Public Health Units, school boards, municipalities, and education stakeholders.
  • Schools should open before patios.
  • Focus should be on students’ well-being and student and staff safety.
  • Vaccinating school staff should be a priority.
  • The province should convene an Education Advisory Task Force modeled on Scotland’s COVID-19 Education Recovery Group – with representatives from government including the Ministries of Health, Education, and Children, Community and Social Services, along with the Treasury Board Secretariat; school boards, education unions, parents, students, Public Health, principals, directors of education, early childhood education, faculties of education, and more. Such a task force would ensure that funding, policy, and plans for next steps are based on evidence, experience and common goals.