B.C.’s back to school ad shows ‘false, unrealistic’ classroom conditions: union

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — B.C. teachers are calling out the provincial government for what they call false advertising when it comes to its promotion of the back-to-school plan. 

An ad featuring Dr. Bonnie Henry is being criticized by the president of the BC Teachers’ Federation for painting an unrealistic picture of what the return to school will be like amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The reality of classrooms is that they’re going to be crowded. They’re going to have 30 kids in them in many cases. There aren’t sufficient sinks, running water, windows that open in many of our classrooms across the province,” Teri Mooring says.

“The ad makes it look like there’s a promise of physical distancing and really thorough hand-washing ability when in fact classrooms will be crowded, and all the employer needs to supply in a classroom is hand sanitizer.”

Ironically, Mooring says, what teachers want is to return to school under conditions like the ones shown in the ad.

“Teachers would like classrooms to look like that. We would like fewer students in them, we would like students to be able to physically distance in classrooms, but unfortunately, right now the plan is not going to include that,” she says.

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According to Mooring, the ad creates a “false impression” in an attempt to assuage concerns.

“You can’t put money into an ad to let people know that things are going to be safe in schools and not have the planning in place that will actually make that happen,” she says.

The union wants three key changes to the current return-to-school plan: mandatory masks for anyone older than 10; class-sizes small enough for physical distancing; and a province-wide learn-from-home option.

Some districts, like the Vancouver School Board have announced a plan to create a “transitional” option for elementary school students this week. This option allows families to keep children at home in the short-term without losing their spot at their current school and with support from the district’s teachers.

RELATED: Teachers, parents protest B.C. back-to-school plan

The union wants this option to be available to all students in B.C.

“It can’t be left up to individual school districts and it also can’t be left up to individual parents or families to advocate on their own,” she says.

She suggests recently announced federal funding could be directed to cover some of the costs of reducing school density and ensuring a province-wide remote learning option. Mooring also thinks barriers and hand-washing stations should be installed in classrooms to help stem any spread of the virus.

In an emailed statement, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Education said the ad is meant to show the province is collaborating closely with public health officials.

“Each school will operate under strict health and safety measures with well-stocked supplies to support regular hand washing hygiene and frequent cleaning of classrooms and high touch surfaces, along with daily monitoring of personal health before the school day begins and providing non-medical masks for students and staff are in place for the return to school,” it reads.