Snow days to remain in B.C., even with success of online learning

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Just because some jurisdictions, like New York, are cancelling ‘snow days’ because of the success of online learning, don’t expect the same to happen in Metro Vancouver.

The BC Teachers’ Federation said Metro Vancouver doesn’t receive enough snow to worry about a change in policy here, and in the interior, it’s tough to predict a major snowfall event.

Teri Mooring from the BCTF says the challenge with removing ‘snow days’ is it’s not always predictable when a ‘snow day’ is going to happen.

“Preparation for (online learning) would have to be made well in advance,” she said.

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However, Mooring says the issue of teachers being forced to come to class in bad weather is on the group’s radar.

Currently, the policy dictates that even if buses can’t run due to the weather, schools are open and teachers are expected to be there, she said.

“We attempted to negotiate something in the last round, that the health and safety of teachers would be protected in situations where it’s too dangerous to drive to work,” Mooring said.

Mooring believes if some school districts push ahead with the idea of removing ‘snow days’, there are issues that would need to be addressed.

“The challenge we had in the springtime, is that not all students have access to equipment, to computers,” she said, adding that there are parts of B.C. that still don’t have high-speed internet connections.

With files from Mokina Gul

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