#SafeSeptemberMB @BrianPallister @mingoertzen @LarryMaguireMP @reghelwer As a global health researcher of nearly 20 years, I've seen firsthand the catastrophic results of underdone public health strategies and disease mitigation efforts. 1/12

For these reasons, I am beyond distressed by your government's lack of concern for Manitoba students, their teachers and families' health. While aspirational, your school reopening plan remains insufficient and is, therefore, dangerous. 2/12

No matter the incredible additional workload, costs, and debt homeschooling will entail, under these circumstances my husband and I refuse to send our children back to school and in-class learning. 3/12

We already struggle daily to reduce the hazards that come with my husband and eldest son's employment as essential frontline workers, and cannot afford to increase our household burden of risk. Our lives are at stake. 4/12

Unless the Ministry of Education and Brandon School Division revise their reopening plans to include more options, and remote learning especially, there is no way we can foresee returning them to school, either. 5/12

As a professor scheduled to teach online during the Fall Term, it is unfathomable to me that my teenage university students will be better protected from COVID-19 than my teenage children would be in high school. 6/12

We're painfully aware that if COVID-19 gains greater hold in our communities once classes resume, people will suffer and die. In saying 'no' to their return to school, we prevent our children from furthering the spread, and worsening the pandemic. 7/12

I know that our family is not alone in holding these concerns, or making plans to withdraw their children from school. https://www.change.org/su/p/manitoba-premier-brian-pallister-manitobans-for-a-safe-return-to-school-in-september/f?signed=true&fbclid=IwAR0MvhsYHNhrpEVezDCCWUDnH0x_Rg8G6a-FuV38KWT7YQIbSvV5sbSlfv0&source_location=petition_page 8/12

Should your Progressive Conservative Government continue to fail us now, in our hour of true and absolute need, we will do everything in our power to communicate the scope of your failure to everyone we know, everywhere. 9/12

Our family will also continue to use the power of our voice and experience to protest your government's current plans and disregard for our wellbeing and even survival. 10/12

With others, we have already begun speaking out: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/teacher-gives-manitoba-government-failing-grade-on-covid-19-return-to-school-plan-1.5686964 11/12

By asking us to put our families in harm's way, you've gone too far. Do better and do right by us, your fellow Manitobans. Now. 12/12