Our response to #bcpoli's #bced restart plan: https://www.bctf.ca/NewsReleases.aspx?id=57715.

The plan is not ready and needs more work if it’s going to be successful, keep everyone safe. We are pleased to see more funding for cleaning and PPE, but too many unanswered questions remain at this time.

Thread from #bced's @TeriMooring: “The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on all of us, especially children and youth,. Education is vital and we all agree that students need to return to school, rebuild their social connections, and learn from their teachers in a classroom setting.

"A lot of excellent work has already gone into the restart planning by the steering committee and working groups, but this announcement misses the mark on several critical components and should go back to those working groups.

"This plan is still a work in progress and there is a lot of room for improvement. I am confident that with more authentic consultation and collaboration, we can get to a much better place.

"The reopening needs to be safe, careful, and get the buy-in of teachers, support staff, parents, and students. If the plan is rushed or too many questions are left unanswered, it won’t be successful.

"Bringing everyone back all at once, even with some version of a cohort model, on the first day after the Labour Day long weekend, is too much too soon given the many unanswered questions in today’s announcement.

"Teachers and support staff need time in September to adjust to the new structures, make sure the proper health and safety protocols work, and prepare curricular resources and lessons that meet the new reality.

"If #bced school staffs are given time to collaborate, get training, and prepare, everyone will be better off."

"More from @TeriMooring: "“As a teacher, parent, grandparent, and President of the BCTF, I agree that we need to get back to in-person learning. There were a lot of challenges with emergency remote learning in the spring as well as the partial return in June.

"But, the imperative to get students back into schools needs to be balanced with health and safety considerations in the context of how schools actually function. Based on what the government released today, their plan isn’t ready yet. It needs more work.” #bced #bcpoli

The good #bced and #bcpoli news is that we have time to do more work and make the necessary improvements to the restart plan to ensure everyone in the school system can return with confidence. We will be working hard to make sure that happens. Here are some key changes we need:

1. Authentic consultation and collaboration at the local level between school districts and local unions.
2. Health and safety measures in place and tested before staff return to the school site and before students return to class.

3. Time in September for teachers to plan, prepare, and undertake the necessary in-service training and health and safety orientations to enable equitable learning conditions and safe workplaces.

4. Smaller classes to ensure all of the children, youth, and adults that share our school spaces can adhere to the physical distancing protocols we have all been asked to maintain during the COVID-19 pandemic.

5. More clarity around the proposed “cohort model” and how that will keep teachers safe while ensuring students still get their full education.

The key to improving the restart plan is to allow the working groups to spend more time identifying solutions so the appropriate planning and implementation can get done. Those working groups have a wealth of knowledge to contribute. They should be given time to get back to work.