(The Canadian Press)

By Justin Goulet (Lethbridge News Now) and Josh Hall (rdnewsNOW)

as students return...

Province removes physical distancing rules from classrooms

Aug 31, 2020 | 9:11 AM

One of the rules initially set in place for Alberta’s return to class plan has been lifted.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, quietly signed a health order over the weekend removing the two-metre distancing requirement in classrooms.

Specifically, it reads that, “an operator of a school does not need to ensure that students, staff members and visitors are able to maintain a minimum of two metres distance from every other person when a student, staff member or visitor is seated at [a] desk or table.”

The decision is for classrooms and other instructional centres where seats are arranged to stop students from facing each other.

Shortly before 10 p.m. Sunday night, Jason Schilling, the president of the Alberta Teachers’ Association took to social media to voice his concern.

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“I’m stunned by this reversal of physical distancing in classrooms by [Dr. Hinshaw],” he wrote on Twitter.

“This goes against everything we’ve been told for months.”

Kelly Aleman, a teacher in Red Deer and president of ATA Local 60 (Red Deer Public), says his initial reaction was one of shock and betrayal.

He’s willing to give Dr. Hinshaw a shot at explaining why this decision was made, but he believes the timing is suspect.

“It seems there’s a standard for the rest of society and because schools aren’t physically able to pull off two-metre distancing, they’re just giving up on it. They have come to the conclusion there’s no way to enforce the two-metre distancing in schools because there are too many kids in classrooms,” he says.

“I’m so angry about it because it feels like this government and this minister had a shot at solving some of these problems for five or six months. But because they are so inept — and I’ve publicly gone on the record that I have no confidence in this minister — there are many ways they could’ve solved the social distancing problem that they never got on top of; they could have procured other spaces in the community.”

Aleman adds that while teachers are confident and ready to care for students, they’re also confused and nervous about the return to class.

“It feels like the government is not listening to them or does not care,” he remarks. “We’re supposed to be all in this together, but teachers feel like they’re on an island right now.”

The province has set a rule that makes mask use mandatory for students in grades four and up where physical distancing cannot be maintained. Students will be required to wear them in all shared and common areas such as hallways and on buses. Exemptions will be made for students and staff who are unable to wear a mask due to medical or other needs.

The updated order signed by Dr. Hinshaw over the weekend can be seen here. She is expected to provide further clarification when she gives her next media update on COVID-19 Monday (Aug. 31) at 3:30 p.m.

(with files from Lethbridge News Now)