Masks “mandatory” for TVDSB JK-Grade 3, but won’t be enforced

Thames Valley District School Board, in an 8-2 vote Tuesday night, Aug. 25, with Chairman and Middlesex Trustee Arlene Morrell abstaining, adopted a motion, which they all admit can’t be legally enforced, to make face masks mandatory for children in all public schools and on buses.

Backers of the motion said they wanted the board to stress that the wearing of masks was vital to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and they called only for “sympathetic counselling” for children who didn’t follow the rule.

Opponents said that they didn’t see a point in passing a motion that couldn’t be enforced, because the province was only requiring masks for children in Grade 4 and up, not Grade 3 and younger, and the board couldn’t override that. The province is only “strongly encouraging” masking for the youngest grades.

Look for more details in the Sept. 2 edition of The Aylmer Express.