Parents, teachers question whether in-person learning will be safe by Jan. 5

Parents and teachers are awaiting the return of in-person schooling with a mix of relief and trepidation.

Many were thrilled to hear that schools would open their doors on Jan. 5, but some are still worried about the rapid spread of Omicron and say the government isn't doing enough to keep students and teachers safe.

Early childhood educator Bronwen Alsop said virtual learning in her family was a disaster," especially for her four-year-old son, who requires intensive support due to hearing challenges.

She's happy that in-person schooling is going ahead, but worried there will be further delays.

I really won't be resting until my kids are physically back in school on Jan. 5," she said.

If schools are closed again, Alsop said the Ontario Families Coalition, which she founded, will take legal action. The coalition is holding a rally on Monday at Queen's Park to ask the government not to change course.

Alsop thinks it's important that families have the option to choose virtual schooling, but said it's clear we are moving into a new chapter of the pandemic.

It's time to move forward," she said.

Mirit Eliraz feels the same way.

Every parent I know is very pleased that kids are going back to school," said Eliraz, who has a daughter in high school in York region.

Virtual learning and hybrid learning were disruptive for her daughter, who Eliraz said became disengaged and seemed to lose motivation. After going back to in-person learning, she saw her daughter recover dramatically, and is worried about going backwards.

But after Thursday's announcement that in-person learning would be pushed to Jan. 5 to make time for additional safety measures, and Friday's news that the government would stop collecting case numbers from schools, not everyone is itching to get back in the classroom.

Felipe Pareja, vice-president of the Peel Elementary Teachers' Local of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, said the safety measures announced Thursday are utterly insufficient."

Teachers are angry and frustrated, he said - they want schools to open too but many don't feel safe yet.

So far, Pareja said it's looking unlikely that his local's members will be greeted with N95 masks as promised when they arrive on Wednesday, and he is fielding a growing number of questions about work refusal.

Pareja also thinks it's too soon for the government to stop reporting school cases.

It's an untenable situation," he said.

Shelley Laskin, the Ward 8 trustee for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), said it seems parents and teachers are split on whether they feel safe to resume in-person learning.

Right now, the TDSB is waiting for guidance from the local public health unit, which has the power to introduce stricter measures including virtual learning, said Laskin.

There's still way more questions than answers," she said.

Laskin said she's confident that the N95 masks promised by the government will be there when Toronto teachers arrive Wednesday, however. But there are many other safety concerns from parents and teachers that she hopes will be addressed in the coming days.

We will have the masks. And we do have our HEPA filters already in place," she said. But, you know, we still have large class sizes."

Jazzlyn Abbott, a Grade 12 student who is on the executive of the Ontario Student Trustees' Association, said while students know it's important for them to have in-person learning, many are still worried about the potential risks of going back at this time.

I think for a lot of students, this is coming as a shock," said Abbott.

She was pleased to hear the government promise multiple safety measures including providing N95 masks for teachers, but said only time will tell whether what they've promised comes to fruition, or whether it's enough to keep students safe.

However, Abbott said students are actually more concerned about the news that Ontario will no longer be reporting case counts in schools.

They want to be informed of ... what's happening in their own schools," she said.

The association is asking the government to delay the return to in-person learning in order to provide all students in Ontario with protective equipment. It is asking Ontario to continue collecting case numbers.

School boards are still allowing parents to opt in to virtual learning, and Eliraz thinks that's the right approach to take.

With the Omicron variant and widespread vaccination, Eliraz said it's clear COVID-19 is a different beast now, requiring a different approach.

I think that we're moving to a different phase of the pandemic and that's clear, not just in Ontario, but around the world," she said.

Jen Dobson, a parent of three sons aged 12, 15 and 17, said she thinks it's now a bigger risk to keep kids at home than for them to go to school, and she's worried about the mental health strain of further virtual learning.

As for case reporting, Dobson supports the school system taking on the responsibility, and said she thinks reporting outbreaks is more important now than specific case counts, which Omicron has made less accurate.

However, she said she thinks the government could do more when it comes to safety measures, such as addressing class sizes to help with distancing.

Overall, I'm hopeful," she said.

I think we just have to go about this week by week, but I think we have to be bold and I think we have to go back into the classroom."

Rosa Saba is a Toronto-based business reporter for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @rosajsaba