Ford must do more to make September safe for students, staff and families: NDP

TORONTO – NDP Education critic Marit Stiles released the following statement in response to a Ford government announcement that it will locate some vaccination clinics in or near schools:

“Today’s announcement by the Minister of Education Stephen Lecce isn’t good enough. Months ago we called on the Ford government to proactively reach out to families, and work with them to get every eligible student fully vaccinated ahead of September. To overcome barriers and increase vaccination rates among young people the Ford government must communicate with families in culturally appropriate ways, understand the needs of parents who can’t afford to miss a day’s pay, support students and their parents by booking appointments and bringing vaccine directly to them where they live and where they go to school. To protect the vulnerable we need to make September safer by investing in classroom ventilation, reduce class sizes, make vaccinations mandatory for all education workers and eligible students and add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of required childhood immunizations.”