Nova Scotia Buzz
There will be a COVID-19 brieifing from Premier Houston and Dr. Strang Wednesday, January 5, at 3:00 PM.
The Nova Scotia Teachers Union says to expect operational issues to cause school closures as public health discontinues contact tracing in schools at the same time declaring it’s safe to reopen to in-person learning.
“Schools are where our communities come together. If our schools are vulnerable to COVID spread, by extension, so are our families, friends and the broader community.” said Paul Wozney, NSTU President. “Our teachers and other educational workers have been on the front line of the pandemic working with the most vulnerable unvaccinated population in crowded classrooms, with questionable ventilation, no physical distancing and poor masking compliance,”
The NSTU says it has recommended, to ensure continuity of learning, that schools revert to remote learning next week to prevent further disruption to student learning.
“It is hard to understand that other Atlantic Canadian jurisdictions, with lower case counts and more stringent in person learning protections than Nova Scotia are moving to remote learning as a first step in battling this current wave, when, in Nova Scotia, Public Health is insisting that schools are safe to reopen, while at the same time discontinuing contact tracing.” said Wozney.
“While I hope that I am wrong, the teacher shortage was making it difficult to maintain school operations prior to holiday break, and we expect it is only going to get worse until the current wave recedes.”
While the NSTU says it appreciates supportive calls and emails it has received from concerned parents, it encourages parents to contact their local MLA to voice their concerns.
