Venting: Doug Ford on Schools

This post is just to vent some frustration. I haven't had a ton of time to sit down and process this news and I hope I'll feel less angry over time. But I doubt it.

F*** YOU Doug Ford.

Case counts are within a stones throw of the most optimistic numbers that the CMOH was looking for. They have dropped further and faster than anyone expected. And still schools are not reopening. Not even on a regional basis.

I don't think I've ever been more pissed in my life.

This goes against what most professionals are saying. And most importantly, it goes against what those professionals advocating for the mental health of our children are saying. This is a giant kick in the nards. And for what? So that businesses can open a tad sooner? But, can they really? I would actually contest that point. 

Firstly, the case load has dropped SO quickly that we're already considering moving up the reopening plan. This just goes to show that the 6-11% increase in transmission predicted from schools reopening likely wouldn't have pushed business reopening back beyond the originally planned date. Especially since schools would only be open for 3 weeks.

Secondly, this supposition undermines the reality than many parents can't return to work, or least not in the same capacity while they still need to deal with additional child care costs now that those kids are not in school.

It also ignores a few of the main benefits of in school learning; it keeps people in place geographically and provides a common point of detection and contact tracing. With schools now closed until September, this move is likely to accelerate travel plans, especially as the Province opens back up. And this is just as, if not more likely, to lead to unplanned increase in cases. 

None of this is provable. But, then, neither is the governments 6-11% projection or the impacts of it.

But, I would say that the vast majority of scientific evidence would back the claims that what this move enables and the decisions they are prioritizing are incidentally far higher in terms of risk factors when it comes to promoting the spread of the disease.

I see nothing except sheer stupidity.

Don't get me wrong. I do understand that there are experts who agree with this plan. But, I don't believe that they are actually factoring in the social impacts of this decision. As I said, I'm reasonably sure that this will lead to considerably more private gatherings on a larger scale and at a faster pace than would have happened if kids had to return to classes. And I think the risk of infection from that vector alone completely obliterates the threat from the classroom. Especially with a majority of teaching staff now innoculated.

But, why I'm really pissed is that I have a daughter. A young. Arguably, she will deal with the short term effects better than some older kids. But, there is no denying it; she is breaking. We asked her last week if she would even want to go to school if they reopened. Her response "I would give anything to go back and be able to see my friends. Even just for a couple of weeks." This is a 7 year old talking about school.

Businesses are going to reopen. And the adults going back to work will be able to see their colleagues and friends LONG before September. This is a gross miscalculation. And I hope it blows up in Ford's smug little face.

With the departure of his CMOH and it clear that he has ignored the advice of own science advisory board I welcome the floodgate of lawsuits from children's rights groups. Governments have an obligation to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Yes, delays in reopening will hurt individuals as well. I am not ignorant of this fact.

However, kids can't vote. They have no say in this system. And it is our job to protect them. Also, the impact on children is MUCH larger in scope than the impact on adults. On top of which, those least likely to return to work because of childcare responsibilities are also those most likely to need employment opportunities. And this plan will actually leave that group even further behind. Meaning the impact goes beyond kids and into the most vulnerable even among the group the move pretends to help.