Return to In Person Learning September 2021 - A Letter to Stephen Lecce

I have sent this letter to various contacts surrounding the school year next year. Please feel free to write your own, share on social, or reuse sections that apply to you, and send your own email as well. To date I have sent this to Mr. Lecce (Minister.EDU@ontario.ca) and CCed Premier@ontario.ca, Councillor_Perks@toronto.ca, Robin.Pilkey@tdsb.on.ca, and CCed our school principal.

Dear Mr. Lecce,

We are less than a month away from when parents need to decide whether or not their children will return to in person learning in the Toronto District School Board and are in the dark when it comes to making an informed decision.

With the Delta variant making headlines, and a fourth wave looming, to say I have concerns is an understatement.  Children 12 and under (such as my own) are now among the most vulnerable communities and virtually nothing is being done to help ensure their safety.

I have been told that online learning will not be an option for children as it was last year, and that they will be streamed to a classroom at their home school but not much more. This is disappointing because not only did my children excel at online learning with an excellent teacher, but they were also safe and didn't have to endure the disruption between shifting from in person to online learning as other students did.

Last year when parents, including my family, requested a reduction in classroom sizes, this request was ignored, and despite "safety measures" being placed in the school, in person students spent close to half of their academic learning remote anyway. 

I have heard nothing of enhancements to filtration systems or safety protocols that will make the 2021-2022 school year any different than the last. 

When I inquired with Ward 7 about waiting until my children are vaccinated to attend in person school I was told that I would likely be able to move them back into in person schooling in February after term one. This is the only information I have to make a monumental decision about my children and their safety.

My son has two learning disabilities. Disruption in routine, like from in person to online learning when fall numbers spike, will be detrimental to his learning. I am trying to do what is best for him and his twin sister, who is quite social, but also enjoyed and learned a lot during her online year.

My family is fortunate that we have been able to work from home and keep our children safe. Many offices are remaining remote until late fall or early to mid 2022, and working at reduced capacity, on shifts. These are businesses with fully vaccinated adults, yet it seems the safety of our children is being treated as an afterthought. 

I have many questions. Mr. Lecce, when will the government give school boards a plan and when do you expect them to operationalize? 

Before parents are asked to sign on the dotted line for the school year, I ask that you revisit the option of online learning with dedicated teachers, that you work towards better safety protocols in school, with smaller classrooms and more outdoor learning, and that you actively communicate with parents instead of asking them to make a decision with essentially no information or confidence in the safety of their children.

Thank you for your consideration,

Sara

Concerned Parent, Ward 7, Toronto