‘I just wasn’t comfortable’: Many Hamilton students still masking as requirements lift at some schools

All but a handful of students had cloth and surgical masks looped over their ears as they filed out the doors of Cathedral High School on Monday, the first day mask mandates were lifted at most Ontario schools.

I have too many people depending on me not to get sick with COVID, so I'd rather stay safe," said Grade 10 student Joshua Thompson, standing on the sidewalk with two masked classmates after school.

The 16-year-old student said there was a mix" of masked and unmasked students and staff at the central Hamilton school - a stark contrast to a week earlier, when all students were expected to have noses and mouths fully covered.

It's definitely a big change," Joshua said. Seeing everyone with a mask, mostly above their nose, to now seeing them without their mask, it's definitely different."

On Monday, masks became optional at most Ontario schools, including the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board (HWCDSB). The board has said that anyone who wants to continue masking beyond March 21 is welcome to do so."

Nerissa Toney, a Grade 10 student at Cathedral currently completing a short-term program at St. Charles, an alternative education school on the Mountain, said she was one of two people who wore a mask to class today - but she was less strict with it in some instances, such as during lunch and nutrition breaks.

Usually, I would like to bring it up, bring it down, bring it up again," she said. But I just didn't care as much, so whenever we were eating snacks I would just take it off."

Hamilton's public school board, which has extended mask requirements for two weeks after March break despite the province repeatedly telling boards to follow provincial direction, says it saw co-operation" Monday.

We thank everyone for showing kindness and for respecting the varying comfort levels that exist within our school communities," Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) chair Dawn Danko said in a statement Monday.

The Hamilton board voted last Tuesday to require masks in schools until April 1 (walking back an earlier motion with a later date of April 15) or until a written ministry directive or policy is received that would make the motion out of order."

I support any organization in our community that makes a decision in the interests of their organization or their business," said Mayor Fred Eisenberger Monday at a media briefing.

Public health turned down the board's request last week to issue a section 22 order, which would which would override provincial rules.

Hamilton's medical officer of health, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, said on Monday organizations need to look at what they think is best for their settings."

We'll continue to work with them and support them through this COVID-19 journey," she said.

The Ministry of Education has repeatedly said - first in a media statement, then in a letter to the HWDSB - it expects boards to follow provincial direction, but has not said what will happen if they don't.

The board's motion spells out non-punitive" ways to do handle those who refuse to wear a mask. This includes offering exemption forms as required and reiterating the policy.

Maskless staff and students will not be sent home.

The board would not say how many staff and students had submitted exemptions, which can be requested without a doctor's note.

Parent Ashley-Lynn Mitchell gave her daughter, a senior kindergarten student with the HWDSB, a choice: go to school and wear a mask or stay home until the requirement is lifted.

Her daughter, who had already been home-schooled for the first year of kindergarten, chose not to go back until after April 1.

Mitchell said she did not want to request an exemption.

We shouldn't have to go through that when everybody else is continuing on with their lives and going back to normal," she said, adding that her daughter is confused." It's obviously very complicated to explain this kind of stuff to the young kids."

Michelle Joseph, Catholic board parent, said she let her mature" 13-year-old choose whether to wear a mask.

I just wasn't comfortable not wearing my mask just because I had COVID before, and I'm scared that I might get it again or I might spread it to other people," said Kelena Joseph, a Grade 7 student at St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School.

She said all students in her class did the same.

I think that everyone was just not comfortable yet," she said.

Kate McCullough is an education reporter at The Spectator. kmccullough@thespec.com