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Vol. 16, No. 39, Wednesday, August 25, 2021 www.LamontLeader.com
EIPS has online meeting making masks mandatory for K-6 Upset parents form groups to combat the decision online, attracting 500 in four days BY JANA SEMENIUK Elk Island Public Schools released its return to school guidelines on Aug. 18 making masks mandatory for Kindergarten to grade six and making many parents re-think their plans for the school year. In a statement, EIPS acknowledged that although some parents may not approve of the measures, the board felt it was necessary. “While not all families support the continued mask mandate, the Board had to weigh the risks for students, staff and family members, and consider how many students are either ineligible for the vaccine or are not vaccinated in the communities in which the Division operates,” said the statement. The Province of Alberta set back-toschool guidelines on Aug. 13 which made masking optional for students in school, although remaining mandatory on school buses until at least Sept. 27. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Chief Medical Officer, said factors in addition to the risk of COVID were considered. “The guidance we are releasing today considers the risks of COVID-19 as well as the risks of public health measures on children's overall health and well-being. It is important that we look at all factors that support physical, mental and emotional health to make sure that precautions are proportionate to overall risk level,” she said during a press conference Aug. 13. In terms of overall risk level, Hinshaw said COVID presented a lower risk for children as compared to other factors. “Looking at our data right here in Alberta, children have had very low rates of severe illness compared with other health risks. For example, last year, in 2020, four times more school aged children were admitted to hospital for fall-related injuries, and almost eight times as many were admitted to hospital for anxiety disorders than for COVID-19. Overall, less than half of one per cent of all diagnosed COVID cases in school-aged children have
required hospital care. And thankfully, there have been no COVID related deaths in children,” she said. While the province released their recommendations, Education Minister Adrianna LaGrange added that school divisions still have the authority to develop their own guidelines if they wish. “School authorities have the ability, and the corresponding accountability, for any additional local measures they may choose to put in place. This could include physical distancing, cohorting, and mask requirements that may exceed provincial guidance. And at this stage of the pandemic, we believe such measures are best left to local authorities to decide for themselves,” she said. On Aug. 18 the Board of Trustees for Elk Island Public Schools met in a special board meeting that was livestreamed on YouTube to decide on guidelines for the coming school year. Viewing permission of the YouTube board meeting video was later set to private, no longer allowing for public viewing. The board discussed four options for the coming school year with regards to mandatory masking. Option one would comply with provincial guidelines making masking optional for all students. Option two would require the wearing of masks for all children, staff and visitors in Kindergarten to Grade 6 division wide, except those with medical exemptions. As well, students, staff and visitors in grades 7-12 wouldn’t be required to wear masks if their immunization rate is greater than 70 per cent. Option three required the wearing of masks for all children, staff and visitors in Kindergarten to Grade Six divisionwide. In addition, students, staff and visitors in Grades 7-12 wouldn’t be required to wear a mask, regardless of youth immunization rates. Option four would require the wearing of masks for all children (Kindergarten to Grade 12), staff and visitors division-wide, similar to last
year. Trustee Don Irwin voiced support for option one, which followed guidelines set by the province. “I feel that this is the option that's being recommended to us by the medical professionals. And as such, I support that,” he said. Trustee Heather Wall disagreed. “I'm going to disagree with you respectfully. The overwhelming medical directions coming from many medical experts, with whom I work, have not supported the direction of the Chief Medical Officer of Health,” she said. “I don't agree that this is the right move for us as a school division. We have a policy in place that speaks of a safe and caring, welcoming, respectful workplace. I feel that just ripping off the band aid and saying you're on your own, is not creating a safe place for all students.” Trustee William Gordon also agreed. “I will also vote against this motion, I will not be a part of voting to roll the dice, and gambling with the health of those K to six (students) that cannot be vaccinated,” he said. Vice Chair, Trustee for Lamont County Colleen Holowaychuk, expressed concern over the potential for bullying if option one were chosen, making masking optional. “If parents and students came in wanting to wear a mask, we always possibly have those situations of masked versus non-mask or bullying and how would those situations be dealt with?” she said. Superintendent Mark Liguiroi stated that existing policies would protect those affected. In addition, Chair Trustee Trina Boymook stated that the majority of parents are asking for mask mandates. “We're being asked by some of our parents, the majority who are asking us to keep masks in place, and coming from parents from K to six, saying please give us the time to have the option to vaccinate our child before removing masks,” she said. “So I don’t
feel that this would be providing that high level of care. There is a lot yet to be known about the Delta variant.” A vote for option one, which would be following the province’s recommendations for optional masking, was defeated with Trustees Colleen Holowaychuk, Don Irwin and Jim Seutter voting for; and Trustees Heather Wall, William Gordon, Randy Footz, Trina Boymook, Annette Hubrick and Harvey Stadnick voting against. Further discussions on the remaining three options, which all mandated masks in different ways, uncovered potential issues related to a masking policy, particularly of junior and senior high students who would be required to mask depending on a less than 70 per cent rate of vaccination among students ages 12 - 19. Superintendent Mark Liguiori highlighted the possibility of parents moving their children from one school to another school that has no mask restriction. “What the board would need to contemplate and, what your administration would recommend, is that all registrations are frozen at schools where they are right now. Because what the kids, students and parents would contemplate is that potentially if you're in an area of low immunisation, and if you did not wish your child to wear a mask, you would simply say I now wish my child to come to that school, that was an area of high immunization. “So, we would have to do some things differently that that we have done in the past,” he said. “The second part of that would also be that the Education Act does allow for student movement, based on some very strict criteria, and we have to make sure that we adhere to that very strictly. And by doing so, it may, it may cause parents not to speak to trustees.” Trustee Annette Hubrick explained why masking according to vaccination rates made sense to her. Continued on Page 15