Parents, teachers rallying in Surrey for stricter school COVID-19 protocols

SURREY (NEWS 1130) — Organizers behind a rally Saturday afternoon are once again advocating for more COVID-19 safety measures in schools before classes resume next month.

The Safe School Coalition — made up of teachers and parents — is bringing its cause to Surrey, with a gathering planned at Holland Park from noon to 1:30 p.m.

While the rally is being held in Surrey, organizers say they represent the concerns of students, teachers and families across B.C.

In a statement to NEWS 1130, demonstrators say they want the province to go further than it did with its announcement Tuesday, which requires face coverings for all students, staff and teachers in Grades 4 and up.

Related Articles: 

• Masks will be required at B.C. schools as COVID-19 concerns remain

• Mask mandate returns to B.C. for all indoor public spaces

• Masks will be required at B.C. schools as COVID-19 concerns remain

• Vancouver places of worship not driving COVID-19 infections

Kindergarten to Grade 3 students will continue to be encouraged, but not required, to wear masks.

The province added, students will return to full-time, in-person learning.

And $87.5 million in provincial and federal funding has gone toward air quality improvements in schools.

But organizers of this weekend’s rally want a mask mandate for all children, including those in Kindergarten to Grade 3, as well as upgraded ventilation and filtration systems, and contact tracing that’s more thorough than it was last year.

The coalition is also calling on the province to provide an online learning option for those who are medically vulnerable. Adding, without fixability, “This puts those families in the position of being forced to leave the school community – to choose between health or education.”

Earlier in the week, the province noted it has been working closely with the steering committee and the BC Centre for Disease Control to update health and safety guidelines for schools.

Daily health checks, attendance management, ensuring students and staff don’t come to school while sick, best hygiene practices, enhanced cleaning, and a health and safety checklist for school administrators are all among those guidelines,” said Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside in a statement.

In a release last month, the BCCDC said during the 2020-21 school year, schools were a low-risk for COVID-19.

“[Schools were] low-risk sites for COVID-19 transmission when infection prevention and exposure control measures (also called health and safety measures) were in place,” it reads.

????We are having another rally! Calling all BC citizens who are concerned that #bced school guidance has no #COVIDisAirborne mitigations, despite high delta v in community, K-Gr.6 unvaxxed, & all grades crowded.

Say NO to @bcndp being reckless w/ our kids.

Sat.Aug.28. Details pic.twitter.com/wlcfQUEN9h

— Jennifer Heighton (@jheighton3) August 20, 2021

Organizers expect counter-protesters may arrive at Holland Park, so security will be present.

This is the second rally hosted by the coalition this month.