Alberta teachers anxious about return to classrooms next week: ATA

Teachers in Alberta want to be in their classrooms with students but there is a high level of anxiety as classes are set to resume next week while COVID-19 case numbers soar.

That was the message from Alberta Teachers' Association president Jason Schilling on Wednesday, after Education Minister Adriana LaGrange announced K-12 students will return to in-person learning next week.

Adding to the consternation, said Schilling, is the fact personal protective equipment being provided to students, including masks and rapid tests, won't start arriving until the end of next week.

"Teachers want to be in schools with their students, but if prioritizing in-person learning is important to the government, then you have to prioritize making schools as safe as possible," said Schilling.

"And that not only includes the students who learn in our schools but also the adults who work in those buildings, especially important on a day when we get record high number of cases and a record high positivity rate."

Continuity of staffing will be a big issue in the coming weeks, said Schilling and the ATA is calling on the province to hire substitute teachers on a contract basis. Distribution of PPE from the province will also fall to local school authorities.

LaGrange said Wednesday that some school boards have asked that material be sent directly to schools while others have asked that it be sent to a central location.

"Once again we see the government is putting the responsibility for all this on schools," said Schilling, adding school boards "will have to make their own contingency plans," if rising COVID numbers force students to move back to online learning.