Teachers threatened with sanctions if they wear “better” mask | Coronavirus: Ontario

One of the teachers said he bought a box of FN95 masks with respirators in August, thinking he would have better protection than the blue surgical masks provided by the English Public School Board in York.

This teacher has a baby and teaches elementary school children who are too young to be vaccinated.

Despite warnings from his director and council, he wore his masks throughout September. This month, however, management told him he would be suspended without pay if he did not wear the face mask provided by the school.

This is contrary to what they say: “We are all in the same boat” and “Your intellect is important to us”. If we feel more secure [en portant un masque N95], Who does it hurt?

He adds: The blue masks they give us have openings on the chin and sides.

Another teacher, who was immuno-compromised, also said she could not wear an N95 mask or a surgical mask and N95, a council policy insulting.

A third York area teacher, who owns a loved one who is not immunized, told CBC that he would also be fined if he wore a KN95 mask in class.

His superiors, a high school teacher, also said he was misinformed when told that this type of mask would provide better protection.

I don’t think it’s respectful, supportive, and valuable, especially when you see teachers who refuse to be vaccinated behave better than those who want to wear a better mask.

Teachers in Ontario who refuse to be vaccinated should have a rapid screening test twice a week.

The school board justifies itself

Ensures that the masks provided by the York Region English Public School Board meet the standards.

N95 masks are only available to certain staff trained for medical intervention with students.

Respiratory N95-type masks generally offer better protection against infectious aerosols than surgical masks, but only if they are fitted correctly, experts say.

To that end, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (FEESO) has appealed to its members to contact their union representative if they have any concerns. We appreciate school boards for allowing their employees to wear better masks and want other boards to follow suit., Said FEESO President Karen Littlewood.

The masks offered to Toronto University epidemiologist and professor Colin Furnace teachers are substandard and one does not understand why the board wants to prevent its employees from wearing better masks.

He said teachers are under enormous pressure. If they want to have better masks, they have to have the right to do so.

It’s like wanting to control the underwear people wear, He says.

With information provided by CBC News