Parents and students may have sighed with some relief when Alberta Education Minister Adriana LaGrange announced on Aug. 4, that Grades 4 to Grade 12 students who choose to return this school this fall, must wear a mask when they are not able to social distance from others while in school.
Some relief, but likely not enough to give parents the peace of mind they want.
It’s a good step by Alberta Education, an indication that it is listening to the public and the official opposition.
However, it needs some fine-tuning, or better yet, clear rules.
Having mask wearing for Kindergarten to Grade 3 students optional, makes sense. Trying to keep a mask on those at that young age would be difficult and the likelihood of lost, forgotten, mislaid contaminated masks being laid around is a given.
However, for Grade 4 to 12 students, take the full step — make wearing masks mandatory at all times, except for maybe classes like physical education, shop or others where it may be a hindrance to activities.
The proposal to allow for some leeway for the older students not to wear masks in the classroom should be revisited. Those provisions include if all students are looking forward, not working closely with each other.
Just make it mandatory in the classroom, period.
Not to do so puts tremendous pressure on teachers and students to determine if a mask is needed in a particular situation.
They are already under enough pressure — it’s the government’s responsibility to make a clear decision. Alberta Education has proved it will listen, with making an early decision on school’s opening in the fall and the Aug. 4 announcement regarding masks.
This is a work in progress and the Province has just less than a month before opening day of school. There is still plenty of time to fine-tune the final answer regarding masks.
