(Montreal) The Autonomous Federation of Education (FAE) demands that all detailed data collected by carbon dioxide (CO2) installed in the classrooms of Québec schools be made public, retroactive to the time they were put into operation.
Posted at 6:31 a.m.
Six days ago, the Quebec government announced that it had delivered 68% of the 90,000 carbon dioxide readers it had promised to install in all classrooms in all schools by the end of last month.
The authorities explained that the CO2 is one of the indicators of air quality and that when a meter shows a high concentration, the air may contain harmful contaminants, such as the coronavirus, if someone in the room has the virus.
The Federation, which brings together nine unions representing more than 50,000 teachers, says that since the return to class, several teachers have expressed their great concerns by noting, during their first days of class, CO levels.2 exceeding the standards set by the government.
Sylvain Mallette, president of the FAE, points out that experts have decried the air quality measurement protocol put in place by the government. However, if the authorities are convinced of the good quality of the air and the low risk of viral transmission, they must demonstrate transparency in order to reassure parents and staff by making all the data public and allowing independent researchers to have access to information, according to Mr. Mallette.
The president of the FAE recalls that a few weeks ago, before the holiday break, schools were important vectors of COVID-19.
The Federation calls for the installation of air exchangers in all classes where there are still problems related to air quality. In addition, other measures, such as access to N95 masks for teachers who want them and the monitoring and tracing of cases of infection in schools should also be added.
Installation of CO readers2 involves 3,600 buildings in the Quebec network.