You are repeating the government's explanation for wiping the slate clean. I understand their explanation just fine. With the current government's approval rating in the dumpster, and the lost of trust they have earned, it isn't outlandish for me to question their decisions especially considering their history of being more concerned with optics rather than the truth.
Plenty of my friends who are parents are concerned with this decision. A separate organization started keeping track of school outbreaks in AB because the government wasn't forthcoming with that information arguing that children were not a significant source of spread. The government has stuck with that argument even when hundreds of schools had outbreaks, and when they sent students from grade 7-12 home.
I know several families where they all got infected by one of their kids catching it at school. I know several families where a parent got it and passed it to their entire family causing them to quarantine, but not before their kids had already been to school for several days. There are studies that show schools are a source of spread. I think most of us just want some clarity, transparency and straight talk from the government. I am a teacher by the way.
Just to be clear I wasn't repeating any govt statement, I was not even aware what that statement specifically was. I was just coming at the reply in terms of what made sense in depicting current outbreaks.
My sincere condolences that you are a teacher during this most difficult of times. I can certainly understand how we could have different perspectives on this from our respective vantage points, and you are on the front line, so I will respect that too, I am currently not, I am semi retired.
But its even worse in some places. I think it was Denmark that was telling teachers not to wear masks, that they had to continue to go closely up to children, to lean over children to help them do their work, that this was a requirement of teaching. I thought that was frighteningly myopic in regards to a pandemic like this.
I do disagree that there hasn't been any straight talk or attempts there of. You would recognize the difference if there was none. I have to think that one hour speeches, that are quite involved, and speak to a lot can be more than just seen as downplay or not being straight.
Every country in the world except for Island nations or nations that shut borders immediately have seen the scourge of the pandemic, the undeniable pain, loss, which is only mitigated to degrees by measures. It isn't stopped. So that its easy to say during a pandemic what isn't there, what hasn't been done ideally. I prefer to also recognize effective and helpful measures. The mass distribution of 40M of free masks in Alberta. Unprecedented anywhere else on the continent. Measures like free room and board for any individuals in families reporting outbreak in homes, and that seek isolation further to containment.
I agree that school spread and to family spread is a concern. I do agree that opening of schools at all during a pandemic is always going to be a concern. But I also agree the chief, and arguably only function of a society is raising children, and that we all must persevere in allowing that regard. There is no more important function than raising children, and with education being key component of that.
Thank you as well for educating our youth, and your passion, and believing in that.