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By Regan Tate

Province won’t be delaying start of school year

Aug 21, 2020 | 3:06 PM

Medicine Hat, AB–The provincial government will not be delaying the start of the school year.

There has been much opposition to the province’s back to school plan. Parents across Alberta took part in protests on Friday, appearing at UCP MLA offices. They are upset about what they consider a lack of funding and resources to keep students and staff safe when they return to class.

The Alberta Teachers Association has also been requesting that the province delay school re-entry.

Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says that won’t be happening because school boards already have the ability to make those decisions independently. In a news release, LaGrange stated:

“While our re-entry plan, as written, already provides school boards with the ability to delay or stagger school start dates should they decide that is in their local best interest, I agreed to further engage with education partners and get their views on this ATA request. This was done by having follow-up discussions with the Alberta School Boards Association and the College of Alberta School Superintendents.

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“These partners remain confident, as do I, that the school re-entry plan already provides local school authorities with the autonomy and flexibility to ensure local needs are met and to prepare schools for a safe re-entry.

“I have also had the chance to review all the planned re-entry dates for schools across the province, and I see that time is clearly available to allow teachers to prepare for re-entry before their students arrive.

“These plans and timelines were created by school boards who continue to follow the expert medical advice of Alberta’s chief medical officer of health.

“I would like to reinforce that I continue to support school boards using this flexibility to adjust their plans if necessary in the coming days as they make preparations for a safe return to school.

“I encourage local education partners to continue to collaborate and work together on the decisions related to school calendars.”

Alberta’s Chief Medical Health Officer Deena Hinshaw said on Thursday the back to school plan was based on evidence on what has and hasn’t worked in others areas around the world.

Hinshaw also stated she believes getting kids back into the classroom is crucial for their health and stressed her own children would be returning to school in September.