Letters to the editor Aug. 1, 2020

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Be proactive; treat our school system with the same respect for life as other industries in the province. Please don’t wait until all of Saskatchewan, and especially our children, witness great and unnecessary suffering.

This letter was written with the support of more than 40 parents, caregivers, small business owners, teachers, school staff, and community members across Saskatchewan.

Caleb and Elya Lam
Saskatoon

How can we safe distance in overcrowded classrooms?

A colleague recently wrote to the SHA about reopening schools. They replied, “The Government of Saskatchewan is responsible for the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan, including schools. You can send your concerns to COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca.”

I sent this question to the health address:

“Regarding the planned reopening of our schools, as a retired teacher with 30 years experience, I have serious misgivings about the safety of students and adults in our overcrowded classrooms.

Some time ago, Dr. Shahab indicated that schools can safely reopen because school-aged children do not develop or spread the virus as much as adults do. In light of recent findings, I wonder whether he still believes this? Our understanding of this virus is evolving, and specialists now warn that not enough is known about how it affects children, especially those over 10, to determine whether they can safely return to school.

School divisions are stockpiling PPE and cleaning supplies in a desperate attempt to keep schools safe, but I still do not understand how it is physically possible to maintain safe physical distance in classrooms of 30+ students.