Residents concerned about the provincial government’s back-to-school plan for September demanded wholesale changes to the government’s strategy during a recent protest on South Hill.
Twenty-six people — composed of students, parents, union members, grandparents, and Moose Jaw Wakamow NDP candidate Melissa Patterson — gathered in front of Sask. Party MLA Greg Lawrence’s office on Aug. 7 as part of a province-wide #Masks4SaskEd protest. The event criticized the Sask. Party’s supposed failure to plan for a safe return to school for students and staff.
In particular, provincial organizers called for the government to provide dedicated pandemic funding for schools, to address overcrowded classrooms, to ensure adequate staffing levels, to update ventilation systems, and to mandate and provide appropriate personal protective equipment for staff and students.
Grade 8 student Hunter Nichols attended the rally with his mother and explained he was there since he didn’t think it was safe to go back to school.
“I think people should have to wear masks and wash their hands after recesses,” the 12-year-old said, noting his biggest concern was how there were too many kids in a small area, which would perpetuate the pandemic. He wanted to see smaller class sizes and for the province to make masks mandatory.
“Corona will keep spreading and it will spread like wildfire through the school. It will keep businesses from reopening and families will go bankrupt,” he continued.
Nichols attends a school in the Prairie South School Division and admitted he had not read the division’s return-to-school document. However, his mother had told him what was in it. Piping up, she laughed and said, “It’s not easily readable.”
Standing on the back of a truck, Patterson told protestors that class sizes, understaffing and crumbling schools are issues she has heard on the doorstep. She has also heard how frustrated parents are with the Sask. Party for allegedly letting down families.
“People, it’s up to the government to finish its homework and come up with a plan that will see our students return to school safely,” she said. “What we got was an incomplete plan. In fact, what we got was the worst plan in the country.”
This produced a chorus of “shame” throughout the crowd.
Students are going to suffer, especially kids who are immunocompromised, Patterson said. She criticized the premier and education minister for supposedly failing to do the right thing, while she also pointed out that the Sask. Party has underfunded education for years.
In contrast, the Saskatchewan NDP has put forward a seven-point plan to safely reopen schools, she continued. Some points include smaller class sizes, an improved coronavirus testing system and a “phased approach” that scales back in-person learning if transmission of COVID-19 occurs.
Patterson then criticized Lawrence for not coming outside to attend the rally even though he was inside his office. She also remarked how the province had cut cleaning staff in schools.
“We deserve better. Our people deserve better,” she added. “Saskatchewan deserves better.”
Inside his office, Lawrence explained that he understands the protestors’ concerns since he is a grandfather. However, some parents have told him they won’t send their kids to school if their children are forced to wear masks. Instead, they would want the option to home-school their kids.
The chief medical health officer has provided the provincial government with advice about this situation, he continued. He did not want to second-guess the directions that the health officer and his team were providing. Besides, the provincial government has ordered more than six million face masks for September just in case they are required.
Lawrence did not attend the protest since the organizers did not ask him to come, he said. He would have been pleased to attend if they had invited him.
“I’ve been fully engaged online with people,” he added, “and I’m well aware of their sentiment.”
