Hamilton public school board approves mandatory masks for all students

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) will require all students to wear masks in school come September.

In a board meeting on Monday, HWDSB trustees unanimously passed a motion that expands a rule introduced by Ontario's Ministry of Education that required students in Grade 4 and up to wear masks to now also include students in kindergarten to Grade 3.

These are little ones and their lives are just as precious as everyone else," said Carole Paikin Miller, trustee for Ward 5, who moved the motion.

I think we should make sure they're safe."

The motion follows a decision made last week by the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board (HWCDSB) to require all students to wear masks in schools, as well as on buses.

Board trustees also voted to stagger the reopening dates of elementary and secondary schools to allow students to get acquainted with COVID-19 protocols on alternating days.

Mandatory mask-wearing has been a point of contention for many parents and teachers who see the requirement as a potential solution to situations where students cannot maintain physical distance.

Elementary schools, notably, have been required to return to full-sized classes on a regular, five-day schedule, prompting concerns that students between kindergarten and Grade 8 will study in overcrowded classrooms.

On Monday, the board agreed to spend $10.4 million to marginally reduce class sizes for students in kindergarten and between Grades 4 and 8.

Jacob Lorinc's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows him to report on stories about education.