COVID-19 cases in Ottawa schools should be wake-up call to Doug Ford

OTTAWA – NDP MPP Joel Harden (Ottawa Centre) released the following statement after five Ottawa schools reported at least one case of COVID-19.

“During the first days back at school, COVID-19 found its way into the hallways of five different school buildings. The Ford government needs to see this as a wake up call. It needs to create smaller, safer classes so any case that gets into a school doesn’t spread like wildfire.

So far, the Ford government has thrown kids under the bus before it came to pick them up.

If we were the government today, we’d be training and hiring more teachers, lining up more temporary classroom spaces, and hiring more education workers, including custodians to disinfect schools constantly, and bus drivers to keep kids in smaller bussing groups.

Teachers, education workers, parents and students themselves are doing their part to be as careful as possible – but the government has to do its part, instead of penny-pinching on the backs of Ottawa’s students.

Doug Ford cut education and started hiking class sizes just before the pandemic. This cutting agenda sent Ottawa heading in the wrong direction, and it’s time for a U-turn.”