Will they have to be masked on Monday

By Pepper Parr

March 17th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The students will be back in school on Monday – masked?

Halton District School Board Chair Margo Shuttleworth

Nothing certain at this point

The trustees feel that the guidance they have to work within comes from the Regional Medical Office of Health.

Chair of the Halton District School Board Margo Shuttleworth said that without specific directions from the MoH the trustees are are saying that each household has to decide what it is comfortable doing.

If the family feels masks are not necessary then the student will not wear a mask. Some households have strong feelings and feel that masking is essential.

Public leadership is in one of those awkward situations where public sentiment is split – there is no crystal clear line

 

Earlier in the week the Ontario Children’s Health Coalition issued a statement saying: states: “Masks remain an important layer of protection as the pandemic continues and may be needed in communities with low vaccination rates and where there is a surge in cases. Masks also protect those most vulnerable, including high-risk, immunocompromised and fragile children.”

Former trustee Peggy Russell said trustees in the Province of Ontario have a definitive Role in which, “they must weigh what is in the best interests of the whole education system” which they are duly elected to represent.

“This will be the true test of elected Trustees relevancy; there is no hedging around this one.

Either they listen to the experts from the Ontario Children’s Health Coalition or, if they do not, they should be prepared for the potential legal ramifications, not just as a Board, but as individuals who could be named in Legal Actions for not following the advice of the experts from the Ontario Children’s Health Coalition.”

The experts the trustees in Burlington have to listen to are at the Region where the Medical Officer of Health calls the shots.

No word from Dr. Hamidah Meghanithem at this point.

 

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2 comments to Will they have to be masked on Monday

  • Steve W

    People have already stopped wearing masks in stores this past week. No point in enforcing it anymore as you just get an earful.

    • Tom Muir

      That’s stores, not all schools and all kids in close groups space, all day, every weekday and so on. Very different