Teachers, parents express concern about Yukon's new COVID-19 monitoring strategy in schools

Some parents and teachers in Yukon are concerned about the territorial government's new method to handle COVID-19 cases in schools. It's also sparked criticism from the Yukon NDP.

In an email sent to parents late on Wednesday from the Department of Education, the government said it will stop reporting COVID-19 cases in schools. It reads in part that the government "will decrease the amount of case and contact management work that is done for the schools and will no longer be issuing school exposure notifications."

Instead, the government will monitor staff and student absences in schools. 

The email also noted that some schools are temporarily pivoting to remote learning due to staffing shortages.

The announcement comes as the number of COVID-19 cases in the Yukon continues to surge, with cases in all communities throughout the territory. As of Friday, there were 479 active cases, according to the territory's website.

Last week, the territory said students were to return to in-classroom learning after the holidays. At the time, Dr. Catherine Elliott, the territory's acting chief medical officer of health, said the "level of risk in schools is acceptable" and that she's "confident in the decision of students returning to classrooms this year."

In a statement issued Friday, the Yukon NDP condemned the move to halt COVID-19 reporting in schools, saying the government is "removing the ability of the school administration to make informed decisions depending on case count and exposure in their school."

Party leader Kate White called for more transparency around the decision-making process.

"If this is the advice of the Chief Medical Officer, then the government needs to be shouting it from the roof tops to inform the school communities," said White in the news release.

Shari McIntosh, whose two children attend Chris the King Elementary School in Whitehorse, echoes this sentiment.

"Our family has been cautiously watching school numbers and we sort of live by that guide of exposure notices in our classroom or in our school to see whether we need to keep our kids home," said McIntosh.

"Without those exposure notices and information on what's happening in the schools, we have no tools left to make informed decisions anymore as parents."

Meanwhile, Thane Phillips, who has two children at Whitehorse Elementary School, says he's fine with the change.

"I feel that it's a reasonable response and one of the ways our society is adapting to the reality of this," said Phillips. "Right now, with what's happening and even with those changes that look like they're coming out, I do feel it's safe for my kids to go to school."