Doug Ford says his patience with teachers is "running low". He's not the only one...

Bias declared right up front.  I have a soon to be 7 year old who will be returning to school soon, a daughter entering grade eleven, and a son going into his fourth year of universtiy. I also have two siblings, one a secondary school teacher the other a high school VP, as well my oldest friend who teaches elementary.

Many (not all) teachers are unhappy with the province's plans for re-opening schools.  What a shock, in any given week I imagine news outlets could run with the story: "Teachers Unhappy" about any number of issues.  At least when it comes to the way teachers present themselves via media, it seems many, (again not all) are never happy.

This pandemic has turned everyone's life upside down, nobody has been spared.  Right from the start of emergency measures, based on what I've read, about one third of Ontario workers either saw their jobs completely disappear or had their hours significantly reduced.  Of those who continued working some, like teachers, were able to operate from home.  For many though that wasn't an option.  

Employees in Long Term Care facilities couldn't phone their jobs in, they were in the thick of it, among them PSWs who often don't earn much above minimum wage.  They had to continue working while protocols and safety measures were worked out, and it still isn't perfect, there are still outbreaks happening in nursing homes.  Same with police and firefighters, grocery store and warehouse employees, meat processing plants and many more.  

Perfect doesn't exist, and adjustments are still being made, that's life. 

Well teachers, now it is your turn.  After 5+ months away from schools it's time to get back at it.  Is it going to be perfect?  Nope, no different from all the other workplaces and industries that have been open from the start.  Are there going to be outbreaks?  Of course, again no different from other industries and jobs.

That is not to say I am completely without empathy for teachers, they're human like everyone else, and like many some are scared.  I blame the fear on the irresponsible reporting of traditional media outlets, scouring the hospitals for any younger person either dying or being put on a ventilator, even those with underlying health issues like Diabetes.   Recently they presented a 20 something diabetic as "healthy" to drive views and clicks, if it bleeds it leads.  

Public Health Ontario recently published research on Covid that included Infection Fatality Rates (IFR) based on age, and I have yet to see any reporting on it whatsover.  Broadly speaking those under the age of 60 have better than a 99% chance of surviving Covid.  IFR for those aged 0-9 years is reported as being just 0.002% and climbs to 0.6% for those aged 50 to 59.  For those who are 80+ the survival rate is still over 90%, and given that Canadian life expectancy is around 82 years that's not surprising, eventually we're all going to die of something.  

No teacher, or anyone in any profession, who is at heightened risk due to everything we now know about Covid should be working right now in a diversely peopled environment.  But that is not the majority, far from it.  Canaidans need to be educated about their true level of risk so that we can get back to vibrant and active lives, at work, school and socially.