Frustration over the lack of school information coming from the province and little input from local health officials is starting to boil over at the local public school board.
Education Director of the Lambton-Kent District School Board John Howitt said once again his board was left in the dark about when students will return to school after the province announced on Thursday that several school boards will be returning to class February 1, 2021.
Howitt also said the local school boards and the regional medical officers of health should be privy to the criteria for reopening schools and that has not happened yet.
"I am in no way being critical of Dr. Colby not having that information," said Howitt. "He should have that information as the local medical officer of health and have input on whether our schools are open or closed."
Director of Education for the St. Clair Catholic District School Board Deb Crawford said all she knew was that Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams made the decision on who was going back to in-person learning.
CK Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Colby said he was surprised that Chatham and Sarnia area schools were not on Thursday's return list.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced 280,000 students in four public health regions will return to class on Monday, February 1, 2021 including students in the London area.
The London area has roughly 15 times more active cases than Chatham-Kent or Sarnia-Lambton.
Lecce said the government agrees with the growing consensus in the medical community that returning students to in-person learning is essential to the well-being, development and mental health of children. He added that leading medical and scientific experts, including Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health, agree that Ontario's schools are safe places for learning.
The minister said the province is introducing tougher health and safety measures at schools, including stronger masking protocols to include grades 1-3, expanding access to targeted asymptomatic testing, and implementing stricter screening protocols.
Students in the Chatham and Sarnia areas are scheduled to return to class on February 11, 2021.
