A group of B.C. teachers says the provinceB次元官网网址檚 COVID response is causing more harm than good to B.C. students.
The group issued an open letter to B.C. teachers April 26 and called the response to COVID B次元官网网址渙ut of balanceB次元官网网址� in relation to children.
B次元官网网址淲e feel teachers have relinquished the bond of their profession out of fear; our risks are not as great as what has been identified.B次元官网网址�
The signatories then ask B.C. teachers to join them. B次元官网网址淲e implore you to add your voices to ours. Teachers have a part in ensuring children keep the right to their mental and physical health.B次元官网网址�
B.C. Educators for Human Rights (BCEHR) signatories, Tabitha Krauskopf (Prince George school district), Anna Chambers (Langley school district), Sarah Rowat (North Okanagan school district), Jessie Duncan-Wersta (private-school system), Jolene Devcic Ryall (North Vancouver school district), Emilie Perron (Vancouver school district), and Meghan Taylor-Macdonald are all B.C. teachers.
B次元官网网址淐OVID-19 mitigation measures are having a detrimental impact on our children and youth,B次元官网网址� reads the letter.
The letter goes through a list of reasons why BCEHR thinks the B次元官网网址渞esponse to COVID is out of balance,B次元官网网址� including their assertions that: B次元官网网址渢he risk of dying of COVID-19 in British Columbia is 0.03 per cent B次元官网网址� the risk of dying in a car crash in 2019 was approximately 1.22 per cent; asymptomatic spread is rare (0.7 per cent or less); two out of 45,000 teachers in B.C. have been in ICU for COVID. No deaths reported thus far; 211 out of 45,000 teachers in B.C. have WorkSafeBC claims for contracting COVID within the education sector,B次元官网网址� among others. (Read the full letter below.)
Krauskopf said her nascent groupB次元官网网址攚hich has only been together for about three weeks and already has 50 members and risingB次元官网网址攆elt obligated to write the letter because teachers are essentially caregivers.
B次元官网网址淢ost of us got into teaching because we wanted to make a difference.B次元官网网址� She said teachers are there to protect, care for and help children. She added mask wearing and non-pharmaceutical interventions that children have to endure are causing them harm. B次元官网网址淎s professionals working with kids, I donB次元官网网址檛 know how we can stay silent.B次元官网网址�
Krauskopf cited an incident where a young girl fell into a panic attack because she left her sweater outside.
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B次元官网网址淥ther kids were playing, and she knew she wasnB次元官网网址檛 supposed to cross social-distancing boundaries, and she worked herself into a panic,B次元官网网址� Krauskopf said. B次元官网网址淭hat shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be happening. ItB次元官网网址檚 such a small problem thatB次元官网网址檚 been made into such a big thing, that she would be afraid to go out and get her sweater off the playground when the risk outside is almost nothing.B次元官网网址�
Krauskopf said sheB次元官网网址檚 also witnessed kids panicking because they were having a hard time breathing and wouldnB次元官网网址檛 take their masks off out of fear.
She also cited mental health issues. B次元官网网址淵ou can feel it. ItB次元官网网址檒l go okay, but depending on whatB次元官网网址檚 happening in the community, or when new health orders are circulated, you can feel how it changes in the classroom and with the kids. They are more depressed and they act out more.B次元官网网址�
Krauskopf said she hopes the letter raises awareness among B.C.B次元官网网址檚 teachers and empowers them to speak up.
B次元官网网址淎 lot of (the measures) are designed to make people feel safer, but children are at very low risk from COVID.B次元官网网址�
She said she wants to empower parents too and let them know teachers are concerned about their kids.
Krauskopf was shocked when she started looking into the mental health status of children over the course of pandemic containment measures.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檝e been massive increases in suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, and self harm in children as young as nine.B次元官网网址�
Krauskopf said Kids Help Phone received 4 million calls in 2020, more than double the amount (1.9 million) they received in 2019. And she cited that said McMaster ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 Hospital in Hamilton has seen a massive spike in youth suicide attempts.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not just kids. Families are struggling. And child abuse in the home is escalating too,B次元官网网址� she noted. B次元官网网址淐OVID is terrible, and itB次元官网网址檚 really affecting people, but we need to widen the lens now and start looking at how we can help children.B次元官网网址�
She said that help includes a relaxation of mask-wearing rules in schools and a decrease in some of the social-distancing measures. She also wants to see sports reopen for children.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 like kids to just be able to start being kids again, especially when the risks are so low outside.B次元官网网址�
B.C. Educators for Human Rights can be found at .
FULL LETTER FROM B.C. EDUCATORS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS:
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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