TORONTO – Ontario Liberals are calling out the Ford Government’s inaction on school safety that could lead to more closures. Alongside a group of candidates who have kids, Ontario Liberal Leader, Steven Del Duca pointed out several urgent measures that could have helped keep schools open.
“Doug Ford’s incompetent pandemic management has already disrupted two school years for our kids,” stated Del Duca. “As the father of two daughters attending public schools, I understand the anxiety parents are facing right now, and I can’t believe Doug Ford let it get to this point again.”
Ontario Liberals would have taken the following action to keep schools safe:
- Make the COVID vaccine a universal requirement for students through the Immunization of School Pupils Act, and run in-school clinics to ensure access.
- Ensure every classroom has HEPA filtration.
- Establish a rapid testing program in schools.
- Provide high quality masks for free to each student and education worker.
- Shrink class sizes by making use of gyms and community spaces as temporary classrooms.
- Implement strong vaccine mandates for education workers while prioritizing them for boosters.
- Launch an education campaign to combat misinformation and promote vaccine confidence among parents.
“The Ford Government refused to do anything on school safety in the months leading up to the fifth wave and now they’re asleep at the wheel,” added Del Duca. “If our kids are robbed of another year in school it’s because Doug Ford ignored the experts and the science. He focused on his re-election campaign instead of the fight against COVID-19.”
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