'Online learning is harmful': Pediatric societies want Manitoba students back in classrooms

The social isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic is deteriorating the well-being of kids, causing mental health issues and creating a public health emergency on par with the coronavirus itself, the Manitoba Pediatric Society and Canadian Paediatric Society say.

The groups penned a joint letter to Manitoba's premier and education minister on Friday, urging them to allow students to go back to in-person classes no later than Jan. 17 and to avoid further disruptions in the school year. 

"Online learning is harmful. Social isolation and prolonged in-person school closures have precipitated increases in unhealthy behaviours — such as excessive screen time, reduced physical activity, and substance use," the letter states.

It is co-signed by Dr. Marni Hanna, president of the Manitoba society, Canadian society president Dr. Ruth Grimes ( a past Manitoba president), and Amber Miners, a board member with the Canadian society.

A similar letter was sent to Ontario's premier and education minister. Like Manitoba, that province is holding off on sending kids back to in-person classes until at least Jan. 17.

Manitoba's students were originally scheduled to go back to class after the holiday break on Jan. 6, but the province delayed that to Jan. 10 to assess the impact of the Omicron coronavirus variant and any changes that might need to be made.

Earlier this week, Premier Heather Stefanson announced that classes will be done remotely for almost all students until at least Jan. 17.

In the letter from the pediatric societies, Hanna and Grimes acknowledge the impact of the Omicron variant on health-care systems and the need for governments to take measures to protect the viability of hospitals.

But keeping kids in remote learning is not one of the necessary measures, they say.

COVID-19 does not cause severe illness in most children, but the forced isolation has resulted in an increased strain on pediatric and community hospitals due to mental health admissions, they say.

"We have learned that certain decisions and measures pose a far greater risk to children and youth than the virus itself," the letter states.

"Adults are suffering from pandemic fatigue, which will eventually pass. Yet for too many children and youth, the effects of the past 22 months will not be transient. Many will be dealing with the fallout from public health measures for years."

Given the data on the harms of school closures and the abundance of virus-mitigation resources — including vaccines, testing, personal protective equipment and ventilation — it is imperative for governments to avoid school closures, the letter states.

School closures and remote learning have disproportionately affected children and youth from racialized communities, and those living in single-parent households or in perilous economic circumstances, it adds.

"School is a source of essential programs, services, and therapies. Over the past two years, those supports have been either absent or radically disrupted."

MTS, school division want tighter restrictions

The letter is in stark contrast to the stance taken by the Manitoba Teachers' Society and the Winnipeg School Division's board of trustees.

Last week, both called for schools to move to red-level restrictions, the highest on the province's pandemic response system, and to shift to remote learning for the entire month of January.

The teachers' union also asked the province to provide medical-grade N95 masks to all education staff who are still at school during remote learning, since the children of critical service workers would still be allowed to go to class.

Betty Edel, chair of the Winnipeg School Division's board of trustees, sent a letter to the province with a similar request for remote learning and safety measures. She also wants to see rapid tests made available to all staff and students.

The ventilation noted by the pediatric groups has been a hot topic in Manitoba, where many schools lack upgraded systems.

Exactly how much ventilation is enough to reduce aerosolized particles to a practical limit is also unclear, say some experts.