Teachers ‘abandoned’ as schools resume amid Omicron spread: consultant
Posted January 10, 2022 10:46 am.
Last Updated January 10, 2022 11:09 pm.
With school back in session across B.C. and Omicron still rapidly spreading, a former district superintendent and consultant says teachers have been “abandoned again.”
Doug Player, whose career has run the spectrum in education, says the government is putting educators in a “very dangerous situation,” with schools exempt from the COVID-19 public health orders governing places of business.
“They’re going into what is categorized by WorkSafeBC is a category three hazard without the protective gear. They don’t have N95 masks for kids or themselves, the kids haven’t all been vaccinated. It’s just not a good situation for these poor teachers,” he explained.
When asked what he’s been hearing from educators in the lead up to Monday, Player responded with a simple “fear.”
Player has been very vocal about how the province has handled COVID-19 in schools since the early days of the pandemic, pushing for more protections for students and staff, even more so as the Omicron variant spiked though December and into January.
“The minister said there were going to be enhancements. If you talk to any teachers, there’s no enhancements. They haven’t had access to their boosters on a priority basis, as they probably should have going in. We know that’s a key to Omicron,” he told CityNews.
He says his neighbour, who is a teacher, is terrified with class back in session, noting his partner is immunocompromised and he is worried about bringing the virus home.
Player feels B.C. schools should at least be offering the option of either online or in-person classes for now, until the effects of Omicron can be assessed.
“Let’s do a hybrid where we can have some of the vaccinated in school, and let’s do a mandate for vaccine for teachers as well, because they aren’t all vaccinated and some have refused,” he said.
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No Lower Mainland school district has brought in a vaccine mandate for teachers and staff.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said schools need to remain open for the emotional, physical, and intellectual well-being of children.
While Player agrees there is an important piece to in-person education and children’s development, he believes the planning didn’t go far enough.
“I’m not advocating closure. I do think they should be online for a period of time, until they can assess exactly what’s happening,” he added.
