NSTU ready to take action after province’s latest update

The Nova Scotia Teachers Union says the province's latest update on their back-to-school plan still doesn't address major safety issues and they're willing to take action.

That, in reaction to Wednesday's update from Education Minister Zach Churchill and Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Strang.

“We got problems Nova Scotia and the plan is not ready to address them,” said NSTU President Paul Wozney.

While the province's update addressed response protocols and reassured the public that schools and the province is prepared to handle eventual cases of COVID-19, Wozney says schools aren't ready.

“At hundreds of sites across the province, we're hearing that there are no soap dispensers in bathrooms, windows still don't open, ventilation is still dirty and unchecked,” said Wozney, who added there are also no safety protocols in place.

“Schools are chaos right now. Staff have no idea how they're supposed to keep kids safe.”

In response, Wozney has sent a letter to Churchill requesting two professional development days be reallocated to the start of the year to allow teachers and staff extra time to prepare.

“Two days aren't going to make physical distancing possible,” said Wozney. “But there are some things that we can do with those two days so that's why the Provincial Executive of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union has formally requested that the minister take that action.”

Wozney added those two days may allow staff time to prepare some safety protocols but it is still not enough to tackle many of the larger safety concerns.