An online petition, created by a group of Richmond parents, is calling on B.C.’s education minister to consider extending the Transitional Learning Program (TLP).
“As parents, we strongly believe that the authorities should plan for the worst, offer TPL as a long term learning alternative and make adjustments as the future brightens up,” the petition creator Carlo Athena wrote on WeChat, a Chinese-language messaging app.
The Richmond School District announced in early September the transitional learning option for families who don’t feel comfortable returning to school.
Students can remain enrolled in their neighbourhood school or program of choice and return to in-class instruction at the latest on Jan. 31, when the program would end.
However, some Richmond parents are concerned the remote learning option is scheduled to end within three months, and B.C. is still trapped in the second wave of the pandemic.
“When TLP was first introduced, the plan was to have students gradually return back to schools by the end of January provided that parents become more confident the situation improves.
“However, as B.C. is in (the) midst of (the) second wave, we urge all relevant parties to come together, revisit the plan, review the options and plan ahead of time,” reads the petition, adding the school district is also waiting for directions from public health officials and the Ministry of Education.
This petition, first posted on Nov. 16, has collected 290 signatures so far. The organizer would like to get 500 signatures to send to B.C. Education Minister, Rob Fleming.
Richmond School District spokesperson David Sadler said a number of factors would need to be considered if the school district were to consider varying or extending the TLP. And parents will be notified by the decision by the end of the first week of January.
“These factors include Vancouver Coastal Health’s assessment of the public health situation, the significant budgetary and staffing implications of extending the program, and the potential impact on programming for students who are attending school in-person.
“The Board of Education will consider all of these factors and should there be a determination that the transitional program be varied or extended, the decision will be communicated to parents by the end of the first week of January,” Sadler wrote in an email.
