REGINA — Opposition education critic Carla Beck and the Saskatchewan NDP are openly calling for the resignation of Education Minister Dustin Duncan, following what they feel is a “failure” to fulfill duties this fall.
Beck, joined by fellow NDP MLA Aleana Young, made the call during a virtual press conference on Jan. 10.
“He had no plan for the 4th wave, instead meddling with public health decisions throughout the fall,” said Beck. “The premier entrusted the health and safety of our next generation with someone unfit to keep them safe.”
The Sask NDP are spotlighting Duncan as the only education minister in the country who has not implemented any protective measures for students in the face of the Omicron wave of COVID-19, such as a delayed start to winter classes or increased protections within classrooms.
Beck said the lack of action is a failure on Duncan’s part, compounded by previous infractions of “meddling with public health decisions.”
“Going back to August, when the only time we heard from him was to downplay the need for masks, something that school divisions were actively looking at on the recommendation of local medical health officers,” said Beck. “And then the fiasco with the extracurriculars and that decree undermining the authority of school boards.”
Beck said the final decision to call for Duncan’s removal was made following a press conference on Jan. 5, where the Ministry of Education released an updated policy for reporting and responding to COVID-19 cases in schools.
“This was not a flippant decision, to call for Minster Duncan’s resignation. The last straw really was openly lying in a press conference, in such a spectacular way,” said Beck.
Duncan told media that the ministry had consulted with school divisions, including the Saskatchewan School Boards Association, regarding the policy and that “no interest was expressed” in delaying the start date for students’ return to classes in January.
SBBA president Shawn Davidson refuted Duncan’s statement several hours later, in an interview with CBC Saskatchewan, claiming the ministry did not discuss the possibility of a delayed start with the SBBA.
The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation president Patrick Maze also shared on social media that the STF had requested the ministry delay the start of the winter term by two days, prior to Jan. 5.
Beck said the opposition feels the education file requires trust between the minister and the sector, prompting the call for resignation.
“When you have a minister that is willing to lie, I think that trust is broken in a way that I’m not sure how it would be repaired,” said Beck.
Tougher measures needed, said the NDP
In addition to seeing Duncan step down, the NDP is also calling for more committed action from the provincial government to address the concerns of school boards, educators and parents regarding student safety.
Teachers are struggling with the ongoing fifth wave of the pandemic, said Beck, and expressing concern about balancing their students’ safety and their need for an adequate educational experience.
Beck said parents and students are also struggling with the decision on whether to attend school or prioritize safety.
“We understand this has not been easy,” said Beck.
The Regina Public School Division has already stopped reporting positive COVID-19 cases individually to parents, issuing a notice on Jan. 6 that a list of classrooms with potential contacts will instead be sent out daily for parents to check.
Beck said that too much responsibility is being put on schools, and more effort from the provincial government is necessary.
“Schools have done a really phenomenal job of reducing risk and contact, but they are not able to completely disregard what’s going on outside our schools,” said Beck.
The Sask NDP shared its own “safe schools strategy” last week, outlining what they feel are necessary steps that should be implemented for the safe return to classrooms.
This includes the immediate revival of the Education Response Planning Team, which was disbanded in July. Beck said this should be a first-and-foremost priority, to improve communication between the ministry and education leaders.
“The minister talks about pivoting, but it's not that simple for a system that has 27 school divisions,” said Beck. “They need that information, they need consultation.”
The NDP would also seek the distribution of N95 face masks to schools for both students and staff, and full-time contract tenders with part-time and retired teachers to provide adequate substitute staff available to help with labour shortage strains.
Beck also said there needs to be a promise of sick days made for substitute teachers, to help ease anxieties while navigating the fifth wave of the pandemic.
“We've heard [a lack of sick time] is keeping some people from taking those sub positions, especially with the spread we’re seeing right now,” said Beck.
The Opposition said that public measures and measures within schools are needed to address the current gap affecting the province.
“It's time this government stopped politicking and time they prioritize student safety,” said Beck. “With actions and resources, and not just words.”
