‘They’re not medical experts:’ Ford tells school boards to stick to mask mandate end

Premier Doug Ford says school boards should stick to the province’s decision to end mask mandates in two weeks’ time because “they’re not medical experts.”

Earlier this week, the province announced that mask mandates in schools, and most other indoor public settings, will be lifted on March 21.

Both the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) said they are going to ask that masking be extended beyond that date, while the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board isn’t asking and has instead voted to defy the province and keep masks in place for students and staff until April 15.

At a funding announcement in Barrie on Friday, Ford made it clear he’s standing behind the decision of the province’s top doctor when it comes to lifting mandates.

“Let me be very clear to the school boards, they’re not medical experts – the chief medical officer is the expert,” said Ford. “But our expectations to the school boards, to the exception of the parents that want their kids to put masks on, follow the direction of the chief medical officer. Plain and simple.”

Education Minister Stephen Lecce also pushed back on Friday against those seeking to delay the end of masking in the classroom once the March break comes to an end.

“School boards in this province are expected to implement this cautious plan, coupled with the ongoing improvement of air ventilation within Ontario classrooms,” said Lecce.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said forcing schools to drop mask mandates before they’re ready is not the way to make people feel safe.

“The experts say just a couple more weeks of simple masking up will get us to the finish line — so why would Doug Ford and Stephen Lecce block that?” she wrote in a statement.

Green Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner said school boards should be able to make decisions on masking, in consultation with their local public health unit.

“Throughout the pandemic, Doug Ford has constantly shirked responsibility and put the onus of decision-making on school boards — on everything from hybrid learning to testing,” Schreiner wrote in a statement. “But all of a sudden, he’s now putting his foot down. Why?”

During a special meeting Thursday night, TDSB trustees agreed to write Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, the Minister of Education, and Toronto Public Health to ask for an extension for mask mandates in the classroom.

“Should that request be approved, the changes to COVID-19 measures and timelines may be adjusted,” reads a statement from the school board.

Ward 13 trustee James Li says they want to see COVID-19 measures remain in place longer.

“I also hear the concerns from our parents that this may be too soon for a city like Toronto,” Li said.

The TDSB has requested a response by March 16 and depending on the province’s answer, things like mandatory masking could stick around longer than March 21.

The TCDSB tells CityNews they have also approved a motion to ask the Ministry of Education to consider mandatory masking for two weeks after March break.

In Guelph, the Upper Grand District School Board said mandatory masking will end in its schools on March 21, as the board doesn’t have the authority to extend those rules after the province lifts mask requirements.

“We know that the topic of masks can be a divisive one,” the board said in a statement on its website.

“We want to stress that students, staff and visitors are still welcome to wear masks in our schools, and this is their choice. Masking indoors continues to be strongly encouraged.”

Major teachers’ unions are expressing concern that lifting mask mandates in schools so soon could lead to another disruption to in-person learning.

The president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) expressed concerns and said that the move is politically driven.

“In elementary classrooms right now, they continue to be overcrowded… and we’re working with a population of students where only 55 per cent of them have just one dose of the vaccine,” said Karen Brown.

“Masking right now provides an added layer of safety, let’s lift those layers gently.”

Brown said continuing masking requirements on public transit but not in classrooms “makes no sense.”

“This announcement does not appear to be grounded in the science,” reads a statement from the Ontario Principals’ Council. “Dr. Moore has indicated that caseloads are likely 10 times as high as limited PCR testing indicates.”

Children’s Health Coalition (CHC), an organization that offers support to children and families, expressed similar concerns and says it had hoped that Ontario’s masking mandate would have remained in place weeks after March break.

“We know that masking, daily screening, cohorting and distancing have been tough, but adherence to these measures has allowed schools to remain open,” the CHC said in a statement.

Some of Ontario’s post-secondary institutions are opting to keep mask mandates in place, even after the provincial rules lift.

Mohawk College, Western University and the University of Waterloo have all said they plan to require students to wear masks for the rest of the winter term.

The three schools are also keeping vaccination requirements in place.

Western University — based in London, Ont. — notes that there are many places on campus where it’s not possible to keep a physical distance, so requiring masks is the safest option.

The schools say they want to minimize the chance of disruption to classes.

Masking requirements will remain for public transit, long-term care, retirement homes and other health-care settings, congregate care settings, shelters, jails and homes for individuals with developmental disabilities. The province said mask rules will come to an end for all remaining settings on April 27.

With files from The Canadian Press