The Alberta government says school boards no longer have the right to require students to wear masks at school or to require them to take their lessons remotely.
In a press release, the government announced that it had made regulatory changes that guarantee students face-to-face access to their courses.
These changes also have the effect of preventing educational institutions from refusing access to schools to students who make the personal choice not to wear the mask.
Last week, the Edmonton Public School Board asked the Departments of Education and Health if they could enforce mask-wearing as a wave of the respiratory virus sweeps through schools. Thousands of students have to miss school and the province’s children’s hospitals are overflowing.
In response, Premier Danielle Smith opted to ban schools from taking action and insisted that these changes take effect immediately. According to Ms Smith, this should ensure an inclusive school environment by respecting the choices of families and staff.
Danielle Smith has often voiced her opposition to the mandatory mask in school saying it has greatly affected students’ mental health, development and learning since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Parents and students have told me over and over again that they want a normal school environment,” she said in a quote attributed to her in the release. We have taken steps to protect and strengthen educational choice. »
“Families are free to make their own health decisions and whatever decision they make will be supported by Alberta’s education system,” she added.
The government has clarified that guaranteed face-to-face learning applies from grades 1 to 12, in all schools, whether public, French-speaking or independent.
For NDP Education Critic Sarah Hoffman, these decisions demonstrate how this government has absolutely no idea what is happening in schools across the province.
“We know that respiratory illness outbreaks are widespread this fall, causing intense stress and leading to significant challenges for students, staff and their families,” Hoffman said in a statement.
“School boards are struggling to find staff to fill classrooms as illnesses spread among students and staff,” she continued.
According to Ms. Hoffman, it is unrealistic to believe that school boards can provide teachers in the classroom and online simultaneously without adding additional resources.