HomeMy WebLinkAbout20.0 Notice of Motion re Regulation for Health Precautions in Schools
Signatures on this Notice of Motion confirm that the Notice was submitted in accordance
with Section 12.9 of the Board’s By-laws and Standing Rules.
TO: Chair and Members DATE: 22 September 2020
of the Board
RE: Request to the Province for the Provision of Health and Safety
Precautions
Trustee Lynn Scott has given notice that she will move as follows at the Special
Board meeting of 25 August 2020, in keeping with section 13.1 of the Board’s By-Laws
and Standing Rules:
WHEREAS the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted some gaps in Ontario’s statutory and
regulatory environment with regard to managing responses to a serious province-wide public
health emergency;
WHEREAS the Minister of Education published the Guide to Reopening Ontario’s Schools on
30 July 2020, and updated it on 13 August 2020;
WHEREAS the Guide to Reopening Ontario’s Schools provides no authority to school districts
to require compliance with its recommendations for such health and safety precautions as the
use of face masks by all those individuals for whom there is no medical or developmental
exemption;
WHEREAS intentional non-compliance with health and safety precautions may pose
unacceptable risks to others, resulting in families withdrawing their children from school
because of the perceived risk, or work refusals on the part of staff;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED
THAT the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board ask the Premier and Minister of Education to
develop legislation and/or regulations under existing legislation as soon as possible to give
school districts and/or local public health officials appropriate authority to require compliance
and to impose a range of appropriate consequences for intentional non-compliance with health
and safety precautions implemented in schools to address a serious province-wide public health
emergency.
Camille Williams-Taylor Michèle Giroux
Director of Education and Executive Officer
Secretary of the Board Corporate Services