Teachers’ unions fuming over ‘misguided’ snow day messaging

Hamilton's school boards are poised to tweak how snow days work - and teachers' unions are none too happy about it.

In a winter weather watch" statement shared in advance of a looming storm on Monday, the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) posted on its Twitter and Facebook accounts: Where possible, teaching and learning will continue remotely. Secondary will move to remote and elementary staff will continue to work with our families on our remote readiness efforts."

That was news to teachers, say unions, who are slamming the board's decision and lack of consultation.

This decision by the HWDSB reeks of privilege and inequity," said Daryl Jerome, president of the local bargaining unit for the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, on Tuesday.

Jerome questioned how multiple-student households would share Wi-Fi, how households that can't afford multiple pieces of technology will manage and how older students caring for younger siblings will fare, arguing they may be at an academic disadvantage due to babysitting responsibilities.

He called the new guidance misguided," noting the union only became aware of the new direction" several hours after the board shared it online.

In an interview with The Spectator, Peter Sovran, associate director of learning services with the HWDSB, called the union's decision to respond through the media unfortunate."

Sovran added the messaging was meant as it was stated: where possible" remote learning should continue. That may not always be online learning, but it could come in the form of assignments, he said, adding that the majority of secondary school students' school days are already happening virtually.

He added that the board shared messaging about snow days on Friday in a statement posted online.

The Friday statement from Manny Figueiredo, the board's director of education, read: We are in the process of reviewing our expectations about continuity of learning and bringing this discussion to the policy committee in December with our inclement weather and board cancellations policy. If school buildings are closed, we should still expect that remote teaching and learning will occur on these days."

Currently, when buses are cancelled, the public board closes schools.

The committee meeting is scheduled for Dec. 9.

The head of public board's elementary teachers' union echoed Jerome's comments, saying he was also shocked" by the board's news.

It is disappointing that the HWDSB chose the middle of a pandemic to make such an adjustment that would seem to increase teacher workload," said Jeff Sorensen. We will be consulting with ETFO (the union) and other HWDSB workers to determine if collective agreements have been violated or if the board's expectations are legal."

As for the Catholic board, all signs point to scrapping no-school snow days in favour of online learning.

Clearly now, with the advent of virtual learning, we think there should be some virtual learning taking place (on snow days)," said Pat Daly, chair of the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board. That's the direction we're leaning in."

Daly said the board plans to communicate its decision on changing the snow day practice by the end of the week. Exactly what virtual learning would look like - with the teacher teaching live or students learning from pre-recorded or prepared material - would likely vary from class to class, Daly said.

This, again, was news to the union.

We have not been made aware of the board's position on this issue," said Sergio Cacoilo, head of the Catholic secondary teachers' union, in an email. He added: The ongoing issues about working from home are all related to the tools - computers/data - needed. Those tools are in the schools."

If snow day practices and policies do change, the Hamilton boards will find themselves in good company. As reported by the Toronto Star last week, other boards across the province are eschewing snow days in favour of virtual learning, at least during the pandemic.

At least one local parent has mixed feelings about the possible end to no-school snow days.

It would kind of be sad," said Sarah Di Benedetto, an Ancaster mother of two.

Even her youngest, who is three and not yet in school, knows what a snow day is and gets excited at the prospect of a day spent outdoors.

Di Benedetto said she isn't opposed to her elder child - a Grade 1 student in the public board who is attending in-school classes - learning on a snow day, but she doesn't think virtual learning is the route to go.

She doesn't know how to use a mouse," Di Benedetto said, noting it would take time, effort and troubleshooting to get her daughter up and running for one day of online learning. Is it really worth doing that all day, getting all frustrated, just to send her back to school the next day?"

Di Benedetto would prefer her daughter complete a take-home assignment, or do short period of online learning, then be left to enjoy playing in the snow.

There's value in that too, she says.

Katrina Clarke is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: katrinaclarke@thespec.com