BURNABY – British Columbia school support workers are welcoming the $43.6 million in funding announced yesterday to support the safe reopening of BC schools for the 2021/2022 school year. CUPE’s K-12 Presidents Council, representing over 30,000 support workers in B.C.’s education system, says the announcement by Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside represents a big step forward in ensuring a healthy and safe school environment for students and staff.

“We are extremely proud of the work our members have done throughout the pandemic to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our schools, to protect students, fellow staff and our communities,” says Paul Simpson, president of the K-12 Presidents Council. “It is gratifying to see the efforts of school support workers recognized as an essential part of our province’s recovery from COVID-19.

Of the $43.6 million announced, $14.4 million in one-time pandemic funding will be made available to school districts to support the necessary cleaning and disinfecting performed by custodians and caretakers, hand hygiene, improved ventilation and restocking supplies of personal protection equipment (PPE).

“CUPE locals have been doing a lot of work in their communities and schools systems advocating for these health and safety measures. We are pushing for the necessary funding for school districts to continue enhanced cleaning measures that proved so successful during the pandemic,” says Simpson. “We are looking forward to working with school districts so that they can fully utilize this directed funding, along with their other resources, to effectively and efficiently keep schools clean and safe.”

CUPE K-12 locals are prioritizing the continuance of daytime custodial services in all schools across the province and says this new funding would be well used to continue this vital health and safety measure.

“Unfortunately, past BC governments almost eliminated daytime custodial services in schools. So, when the pandemic hit, we had to scramble. Thankfully, our efforts to re-establish daytime custodial services contributed greatly to cleaner and safer environments for students, staff, and helped slow the spread of COVID-19,” says Simpson. “I’m optimistic we have all learned this lesson from the pandemic and we can work to continue daytime custodial services permanently to keep protecting our communities from COVID-19 and a host of other illnesses.”

The K-12 Presidents Council represents 57 CUPE locals in school districts across British Columbia. CUPE represents more than 30,000 education workers including: education assistants, school secretaries, custodians/caretakers, Indigenous support workers, IT workers, Strong Start facilitators, trades and maintenance workers, and bus drivers.

The B.C. Ministry of Education has released a guide for its K-12 Education Recovery Plan. The plan lays out broad guidelines for districts to deliver programs and supports in the 2021/2022 school year that are in line with the province’s over all pandemic recovery efforts.

In addition to releasing the plan, Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside also announced $14.4 million in funding to districts specifically dedicated to health & safety efforts, including cleaning and supplies. CUPE welcomes this news as it reflects progress in the extensive and on-going efforts of our Locals to ensure the maintenance of daytime custodial staff.

CUPE, through the K-12 Presidents Council, looks forward to continuing work with the BC government to ensure the necessary resources are in place to help enact this comprehensive recovery plan for the 2021/2022 school year, and to build on this investment in keeping schools safe and healthy for kids, staff and communities.

Recovery Plan Overview

Drafted with the input of education system partners and stakeholders, including CUPE, the plan is based on five guiding principles:

1. Fully re-engage all students through high-quality in-class instruction and innovative approaches to learning.
2. Align health and safety procedures with public health guidance to support student and staff wellness, with a focus on mental health.
3. Focus supports to address unique student and staff needs, recognizing the pandemic has impacted individuals and communities differently.
4. Consult and work with First Nations, Metis and Inuit to address the unique educational and learning needs of their communities.
5. Engage and collaborate with parents/caregivers, staff, unions and community partners to develop local solutions.

Health & Safety Guidelines

The guide, and the Provincial COVID-19 Health & Safety Guidelines for K-12, will be updated in August 2021, prior to the start of the 2021/2022 school year, to address specific topics in schools and to provide additional resources. The additional topics to be covered in the August 2021 update include guidance with:

• Gatherings and events
• Sports and extracurricular activities
• Field trips
• Cleaning protocols and personal protective equipment (including masks).

Until the update is released, the current Provincial COVID-19 Health & Safety Guidelines for K-12 (dated April 16, 2021) will continue to apply.

 Mental health & well-being

The recovery plan will also include particular attention to mental health and well-being. The guide offers a broad overview of the Ministry of Education’s approach to addressing mental health and well-being in relation to the pandemic and includes links to currently available resources. An additional Mental Health Actions and Resources supplement will be released in July 2021 with recommended areas of focus in response to the pandemic, as well as specific actions and resources to support recovery efforts.

CUPE will provide updates when the mental health supplement is released next month, and for the August 2021 updates to the K-12 Education Recovery Plan and the Provincial COVID-19 Health & Safety Guidelines for K-12.

Links

COVID-19 Safe Schools: B.C. Ministry of Education

K-12 Education Recovery Plan

Provincial COVID-19 Health & Safety Guidelines for K-12

Recovery Plan investment supports safe K-12 return: B.C. Ministry of Education Press Release

View bulletin.

 

Doing our part to reduce stigma of COVID-19

The pandemic has caused a huge amount of stress on all of us – within our families, in our workplaces, and in our communities. While we are hopeful a return to ‘normal’ will be coming soon, the pandemic is not yet over and we must all remain focused on limiting the spread of COVID-19 and mitigating the harm it can cause to our health, including our mental health well-being.

COVID-19 Stigma: threat to our health

Unfortunately, throughout the pandemic, many people have been experiencing social stigma, exclusion, discrimination, and mental health issues. Lack of understanding about COVID-19 has sparked feelings of fear, anger, and other unfair treatment against people who have contracted or have symptoms of COVID-19.

Stigma and discrimination are known barriers that prevent people from getting tested or accessing the care, treatment and support they need.

In our schools and workplaces this harm can mean:

• exposing workers to high levels of guilt and stress
• creating divisions in our workplaces and in our union
• causing people to delay or avoid health services
• making it harder to monitor, stop or slow outbreaks, and impede contract tracing
• discouraging people from being tested

Stigma and discrimination may also discourage workers from reporting COVID-19 cases to WorkSafeBC.

CUPE members in K-12 and early learning are strongly encouraged to file a WorkSafeBC claim in any and all instances where they have reason to believe they contracted COVID-19 while at work (more information on why reporting is so important was covered in our April 30 bulletin).

Spreading rumors and perpetuating the stigma around COVID-19 can be harmful to you, your fellow workers, and the solidarity of our union.

We can all do our part to reduce stigma around COVID-19!

• Be careful of the language you use to describe COVID-19 or someone who has the virus
• Stay focused on positives, such as the steps being taken to contain COVID-19 and the preventative steps we are all taking to keep safe
• Raise awareness by sharing messages based on facts, and correct any misconceptions that people believe or have spread
• Respect privacy. There is no need to tell others if someone you know is infected or you suspect are infected
• Show support, kindness and empathy to those who have, or are tested for, COVID-19

Additional resources:

Government of Canada: COVID-19: Testing and reducing stigma

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety: Preventing Stigma

Provincial Health Services Authority: Returning to work after COVID-19 isolation

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health: Stigma and prejudice

View PDF.