It's another curveball!

Well, it's official folks, the annual March Break for 2021 has to change its name to April Break following Minister Lecce's announcement that the Ford government will postpone the traditional pre-spring break at the behest of government health official's warning of a possible 3rd wave thanks to a variety of coronavirus variants. The announcement comes as the latest in a long list of changes that the education system has had to deal with since the beginning of the pandemic at the beginning of 2020, and the reaction to the postponement has been divided. 

On one hand, it's yet another disruption, exacerbating the already ridiculous stress levels.
On the other hand, there'll still be a break, albeit after a 4 week delay.

I can see both sides of the issue. There's plusses and minuses that are equally pertinent.

According to a press release from the OSSTF in response to the announcement, "Ontario’s public education system has fallen victim to the Ford government’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Education workers and teachers have been ignored and left out of meaningful, collaborative conversations about safely re-opening schools in Ontario. Establishing a clear, consistent, and transparent return to school plan was not a priority for this Conservative government." Then, later in the same release, "True to form, Premier Ford and Education Minister Lecce ignored the request to convene an advisory table of education stakeholders, continuing to leave communities in the dark."

http://osstfupdate.ca/2021/02/10/united-among-our-differences/

While the decision to push back the annual break is far better than the initial Lecce announcement about a possible cancellation, those on the front lines of education question why yet another change is required. Much of the Internet banter about the decision reeked of condescension in response to teacher's claims that the education system needs the traditionally scheduled break to combat the stress that builds from the stretch starting in January and continuing through the winter months. While 2021 has been everything but normal, it hasn't been all gumdrops and rainbows like many of the keyboard warriors insinuate. Quite the contrary, the stresses of disruption coupled with the flip-flop change in delivery mode by going on-line for 5 weeks has exacerbated the mental state of students thanks to a 200-300% increase in screen time, a dangerous habit continually addressed by conscientious mental health experts.

“It could have been worse — it could have been the end of June, so putting it off for one month is perhaps the best we could hope for,” said Cathy Abraham, president of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, “But we do need a break — our students, our staff, our teachers, moms and dads, everybody just needs a break from being in front of a screen or in school under those circumstances.” 

https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2021/02/11/march-break-moved-to-april-12-16-province-announces.html

What seems to be lost on the keyboard brigade is the notion that students and education workers have never pushed pause, with classroom teachers doing Yeoman's work flipping from in-person to on-line and back with little advance notice, enhancing an already dire sense of uncertainty thanks to the pandemic conditions. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath openly criticizes Ford's government, adding, “At school it’s constant vigilance and lots of anxiety. At home it’s hours upon hours of screen time. Parents are doing the superhuman juggling act of working while helping kids learn,"
https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/don-t-cancel-march-break-for-ontario-students-official-opposition-says-1.5299731

Unfortunately, the complaints and opposition can be voiced, but that won't change the decision. 

What remains to be dealt with now that the ink is dry, is what families will do that have already booked vacation time from work and are unable to change to accommodate the new dates in April? Minister Lecce responds with the notion that everyone has had to be flexible (cue the eye rolling ... really Stephen?) in this pandemic and that his mandate is to “the health and safety of your children, our staff and the province” based on the medical advice he receives from government experts and warnings of the 3rd wave. Like so much associated with stay-at-home orders and shutdowns, Ontario's parents will have to roll with the punches once again, something I am sure, based on my personal observations, is wearing mightily thin. However, I will admit that students I talked to recently, when I was supplying for a friend, were nearly unanimous in their relief to be back in class ... well, maybe I should say back in school ... with their friends. Unprompted, many expressed negative feelings toward on-line learning and the high levels of frustrations surrounding both technical glitches and confusion generated by a more independent emphasis in expectations.

This latest change in likely not the last one for a system that has endured constant metamorphosis since starting a new school year in September. If the models hold true, health officials forecast a third wave of infections powered by the spread of the variant strains that are already here in Canadian communities. Lecce et al profess that this singular piece of caution is the impetus for the change, and while certainly worthy of note, Lecce's track record for releasing portions of the truth leaves me feeling wary that there's something else afoot. Regardless if we have all the facts, the decision won't change and education workers will scramble, once again, to make lemonade out of the lemons because that's what they do, even if they rarely get thanks for making it as seamless as possible. 

Here's one for all to ponder. With all of this uncertainty, its resulting stress, compounded responsibility, and elevated unrealistic expectations, it would not be surprising if those who have recently joined the education ranks, or those contemplating joining in the near future, decide that it's all too much. With calmer waters in other professions, the potential for our future Educators of the Year to never pick up the whiteboard marker is significant. From my rocking chair, my opinion is a simplistic "meh" since my own children have already traversed the storm of education successfully, and are in the throws of navigating adulthood, but what about my grandkids? When it comes time for them to enter the procession, will the person whose care they will be in be the best possible option? Or, will they be a survivor who was able to stomach the undulations? 

As an offshoot of that last thought, there's something else that the keyboard warriors likely haven't considered. When some semblance of normality returns, those that were previously the movers and shakers in extracurriculars could very possibly look at the time, energy and money that they so willingly donated prior to the pandemic as something they are no longer as eager to donate. Joe Public is quick to forget that the Arts, Sports, Clubs, and Activities are NOT part of the contract, but rather, an act of paying-forward as repayment for making the school years more exciting, enhancing, and intriguing. There's a strong possibility that extracurriculars will stay shelved for another school year, depending on our collective efforts with the 3 Ws (Wear, Watch, Wash) and the inoculation protocols. For every year that passes without the extras, a cadre of students is robbed of that experience, and subsequently, the urge to pay it forward diminishes. A very real and tangible dread is spreading through our schools right now about what the "new normal" will look like. Are we ready for a more European style model where extracurriculars are the domain of the community and not the school system? Is the community ready to shoulder that change, and how many years are we willing to tolerate in the transition?

The decision to change the timing of the break was seemingly innocent, somewhat acceptable, certainly doable, but the trend of uncertainty is wearing the bearings of the system at an alarming rate, and it will likely require some maintenance before we anticipated. Will we have the wherewithal to handle that when it comes? 

Only time will tell.