Surprise announcement of closure of schools in Peel and Toronto leaves many parents and guardians unprepared

BY PAUL JUNOR

For weeks before the Easter break, many education unions and concerned stakeholders were calling for schools to close in the midst of the rising cases of COVID-19 in Ontario schools.

The news that Peel schools would be closed starting Tuesday, April 6^th, announced on Monday, April 5^th, 2021 caught many people by surprise. Dr, Lawrence Loh, the top medical doctor states, “This closure is a necessary step to protect staff and students in Peel Region. With increasing case counts and the presence of variants of concern, we need to break chains of transmission and keep our schools safe.” He notes, “I know this will be challenging for parents to navigate and we appreciate all the sacrifices parents continue to make as we continue to fight COVID-19 in our community.”

The decision was made by Peel Public Health (PPH), which issued a Section 22 order. It will be effective from 12:01 a.m. on April 6^th, 2021 and will result in students in Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga switching to online learning for two weeks. The Peel District School Board (PDSB) announced on its website (peelschools.org/media/news release):

• All students (K-12 including Special Education Programs) will learn at home remotely beginning Tuesday, April 6^th, 2021
• All before and after-school programs are closed until Monday, April 19^th, 2021
• Spring Break will carry forward as planned the week of April 12^th to 16^th, 2021

The Dufferin Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) issued a statement to parents:

• All DPCDSB schools located in Peel Region will switch to remote learning effective Tuesday, April 6^th

• This DOES NOT affect DPCDSB schools located in Dufferin County
• Students who require learning devices or learning resources should contact their school directly by email or phone
• The remote learning school day will mirror the in-person school day in terms of starting and closing bell times, live instruction and class schedules

680 News reported on Tuesday, April 6^th that the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) will be switching to remote learning for all students starting Wednesday, April 7^th, 2021. In a letter communicated to its staff on Tuesday, April 6^th, 2021 they announced, “Toronto Public Health (TPH) has just announced that all schools in Toronto, including those in TDSB will be closed to in-person learning as of Wednesday, April 7^th, 2021.”

The closure of these schools in Peel and Toronto has elicited positive reactions from the educations’ unions. Sam Hammond, President of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) issued a statement on Monday, which states that, the Public Health Units, especially those which are in areas of high cases of COVID-19 should take “Immediate steps to ensure the safety of educators and students, including a temporary move from in-person to virtual learning.”

It is interesting that the closure of these schools come at a time when Education Minister, Stephen Leece insisted that students belong in schools. The safety and security of students is paramount.