Niagara Falls Review e-edition

Toronto school staff must get shot or could lose jobs

HOLLY MCKENZIE-SUTTER

TORONTO — Teachers and staff with the Toronto District School Board who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 by Nov. 1 could lose their jobs.

The school board in Canada’s most populous city has published its staff vaccination policy, which takes a harder line than the minimum guidelines set by the province.

“While we recognize that deciding to be vaccinated is deeply personal ... we have strived to balance acknowledging that fact with doing our utmost to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff,” Colleen Russell-Rawlins, the board’s director of education, said in a statement Tuesday night.

“By reducing the number of positive COVID-19 cases introduced to our schools, we are better able to protect our school communities and ensure fewer disruptions to student learning and well-being.”

The board said 83 per cent of its 40,000 staff members are currently vaccinated against the virus. It said 94 per cent of staff had disclosed vaccination information, as required by Sept. 7.

The TDSB’s rules apply to employees, trustees, bus drivers and others who come in direct contact with staff and students in the workplace.

They also cover people on educational placements, internships or apprenticeships programs, volunteers, contractors, workers providing services to children at school like health professionals and after school program administrators.

The policy states that people must have received both shots by Nov. 1. New employees must be fully vaccinated before their first day of work.

Exemptions on human rights grounds will be considered but the board said it would balance its duty to accommodate against its obligations to protect staff and students’ health.

Failure to comply with the policy or giving false statements about being vaccinated could lead to termination.

Boards in Ontario have until Sept. 27 to implement COVID-19 vaccination policies for staff under provincial rules.

CANADA & WORLD

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2021-09-16T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-16T07:00:00.0000000Z

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