TORONTO, Ont. - Despite pressure from public health officials, the Ford Government has made the decision to keep students out of the classroom until next September.
Premier Doug Ford, along with Minister of Health Christine Elliott and Minister of Education Stephen Lecce made the announcement from Queen’s Park on Wednesday.
Ford said he is unwilling to take the risk of potential outbreaks of COVID-19 and its variants as a result of opening schools and is keeping all publically funded and private schools closed until September.
"I know this is very difficult news," Ford said. "It was a hard choice to make. But I will not take unnecessary risks with our children right now. The fact is we are fighting a third wave driven by variants. Unlike the original strain, we know some of the variants we are fighting right now are more dangerous for children."
Ontario students have been out of the classroom since April 12, while local students have been learning from home since March 1.
The decision follows Ford reaching out to public health units, health care experts, and education unions and organizations last week asking for advice on whether or not it is safe to reopen schools for the remainder of the academic year.
Previously, chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams spoke out in favour of students returning to the classroom, along with local medical officer of health Dr. Janet DeMille, who has cited concerns about the mental health of students.
According to Ford, many public health experts who responded said they approved of a regional approach to reopening schools.
“It’s no secret that some of them said kids should be back in school on a regional basis,” Ford said. “But here is what the experts couldn’t say. They couldn’t tell us that before the return of in-class learning before more students and teachers are vaccinated won’t lead to thousands and thousands of cases.”
Modelling released last week showed there could be a six to 11 per cent increase in daily COVID-19 cases if schools were to reopen.
Ford added that the COVID-19 variant B.1.617.2 first discovered in India is starting to spread in parts of Ontario.
"It’s taken hold. I think it would be irresponsible to put two million kids in the classroom eight hours a day, then it’s going to spread." he said. "We need to get more students vaccinated and teachers vaccinated as quickly as possible to make it safe."
Vaccinations will be the key in allowing students, teachers, and education staff to safely return to the classroom in September, Lecce added.
"Every student in Ontario, every teacher who wants a vaccine will receive two doses ahead of September," Lecce said. "That is a material change we didn’t have a year ago."
The COVID-19 vaccines will not be made mandatory for students or teachers to return to the classroom.
"We can’t force anyone to get a vaccination. We encourage them," Ford said. "We want them to get vaccinated. We want the students, as many as possible, we want the teachers as many as possible to get vaccinated. It’s proven that it works."
Ford recognized the toll school closures have taken on students, families, and teachers, which is why he is encouraging schools to hold outdoor graduation ceremonies for all grades.
"I want schools to host in-person outdoor graduation events and other opportunities for you to meet with your friends and reconnect outside before the end of the year," he said.
Andrea Horwath, leader of the opposition, said Ford is putting students in Ontario last by keeping them out of the classroom for the rest of the year.
"Children’s mental, physical and emotional health is suffering. Our kids are struggling. And parents — often women — have been forced to stay out of the workforce, or do the superhuman juggling act of helping kids with at-home learning while working from home," she said.
"Ontario is the only province in Canada with schools still closed. That’s Doug Ford’s fault. It’s the result of his choices. He didn’t want to spend the money on smaller class sizes, better ventilation, or in-school testing. He ignored the experts and marched us right into the third wave. He didn’t vaccinate teachers and education workers early enough or quickly enough."
