UPDATE: With six votes for and six votes against, it\u2019s not enough to extend mask mandates at Ottawa public schools. In a special meeting Monday night, trustees with the Ottawa Carleton District School Board voted down a motion to keep mask use mandatory for a few extra weeks – following march break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More to come… <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Mask mandates are set to lift in Ontario in one week, but there is debate as to whether the move is too soon, especially in schools, where students will return from March Break without a face covering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dasha Samperio is having a little fun in the sun, swinging on the playground at Lansdowne Park. The nine-year-old says there are more bright days ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI feel like I\u2019m going to feel free when I go to school without the mask,\u201d says Dasha. \u201cI\u2019m excited and really happy because I don\u2019t like the masks and when you\u2019re running you\u2019re sweating and you have the masks on it\u2019s not really comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beginning March 21, Ontario will end mandatory mask mandates, self-isolation and COVID-19 screening requirements in most indoor public settings, including the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think we\u2019re done,\u201d says Dasha\u2019s mother, Elena, adding that moving forward, the focus needs to be on students’ mental health. \u201cThere are too many times when Dasha comes home to talk to me and says, ‘Mama, I\u2019m tired of this.’ It\u2019s enough; it\u2019s a good time to just take it off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for parent Dan Bornais, it\u2019s still too soon. He has two daughters, in grades three and four, and they both say they don’t mind the mask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy daughter is immunocompromised and their grandmother is as well,\u201d says Bornais. \u201cThey\u2019re going to keep wearing their mask until there is better evidence to support the removal of the masks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is significant pushback against the province for ending the mask mandate in schools. The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, which represents approximately 83,000 educators, released a statement saying the government must prioritize the safety of students, teachers, and education workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Once again, the government appears to be prioritizing political interests over safety in schools. The Ontario Science Table and Toronto\u2019s Hospital for Sick Children President and Chief Executive Officer Ronald Cohn have said that the March 21 removal of the mask mandate comes too soon; yet, the government expects school boards to implement this decision to prematurely remove masks in schools next week. Doug Ford should be motivated by care and concern for students rather than his re-election strategy, and work in cooperation with school boards to ensure safety and stability for all,” the statement says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Justine Bell, a trustee with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, wants to institute mandatory mask use in schools for an additional two weeks following March Break, as an added layer of precaution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not there yet. That\u2019s what the experts, CHEO hospital, are telling us, so we need to take a cautious approach,\u201d says Bell. \u201cWe want healthy students who are learning and thriving in the school system and to keep schools open is the goal. We want to protect the most vulnerable, including those who are immunocompromised, and we know that the most effective measure to do that is masking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The OCDSB will hold a meeting with trustees starting at 7 p.m. Monday, where Bell\u2019s motion to extend the mask mandate will be debated; however, it\u2019s not clear whether Ottawa\u2019s largest school board can overrule a provincial decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe can go ahead and send a message out if we determine as a board to withhold these measures,\u201d says Bell. \u201cWhat could be the result of that is yet to be seen. We\u2019ve seen in the past that the government has put school boards under supervision for doing things such as not balancing their budget as was requested \u2026 We\u2019re talking a magnitude of a very large scope in taking away the ability for the trustees to govern.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n