In-person summer school scrapped at London high schools

London's two major school boards are ending in-person summer school, a move that has caught teachers' unions off-guard and will hurt students, some say. 

All high school summer school classes at the Thames Valley District School Board and the London District School Board are only being offered through an e-learning platform this year, CBC News has learned. 

The move will require students to log in Monday to Friday and spend six hours per day doing self-directed, asycnchronous learning during the month of July. It's a model that won't work for many students, said one educator. 

"In our view, in-person is better than online as far as the quality of the education that students receive," said John Bernans, the head of the union that represents high school teachers. "The main concern is the quality of education and whether students are successful in that kind of environment."

Bernans learned of the move to e-learning from CBC News on Monday, the same day that registration for summer school began, he said.

Until this year, students were able to choose from online or in-person options for summer school, which takes place in July.

"Students who have a high degree of self-motivation and the ability to work independently are best suited for eLearning courses," the Thames Valley District School Board said on its website. 

Board officials did not provide an interview to CBC News, instead sending a statement that said the move to online learning will "remove transportation barriers" because students will no longer have to travel to an in-person school. 

"This decision reflects our continued commitment to supporting student success and ensuring equitable access for all students across our vast district," the board said. 

Students will have to log in every day and are expected to spend six hours per day on their e-Learning course, plus additional time for assignments and studying, according to the public board's website. 

CBC News has reached out to both boards to ask: 

"I think it's unfortunate that students don't have an in-person option," said Bernans. 

Online is a poor fit for many students, and online learning brings its own technological barriers, he added.