MEDIA ADVISORY

TORONTO, Oct. 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Four of Ontario’s major education unions will hold a virtual media conference tomorrow afternoon alongside experts who will share their views on the province’s flawed return to school plan.

The affiliates’ media conference follows the decision of the Ontario Labour Relations Board to dismiss their health and safety case on the re-opening of schools based on jurisdictional grounds. The legal action was filed by the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO), the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA), and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO).

Three experts will present information based on their professional expertise related to the wearing of masks, student and staff cohorts, ventilation in schools, and busing and transportation standards, including: 

• Dr. David Fisman, epidemiologist at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at University of Toronto, who also serves as a Consultant in Infectious Diseases at the University Health Network;
• Dr. Amy Greer, Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Population Disease Modeling, University of Guelph and Associate Professor in Epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health; and
• Dr. Jeff Siegel, professor of civil engineering at the University of Toronto and a specialist in indoor air quality, ventilation and filtration.

WHAT:                        Four of Ontario’s Major Education Unions to Hold Media Conference

WHEN:                        Wednesday October 7, 2020

                                    2:00 p.m.

WHO:                          Expert witnesses, presidents of AEFO, ETFO, OECTA, OSSTF/FEESO, and legal counsel

VIA ZOOM:                 Accredited media can participate in the press conference via Zoom link

                                  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87341555314

LIVESTREAM:            Members of the public can view the press conference via at the following link

                                  https://www.eventstream.ca/events/press-conference   

Valerie Dugale
ETFO
(416)-948-0195
vdugale@etfo.org

Marilyne Guevremont
AEFO
613-850-6410
mguevremont@aefo.on.ca

Michelle Despault
OECTA
416-925-2493, ext. 509
m.despault@catholicteachers.ca

Paul Kossta
OSSTF/FEESO
416-751-8300, ext. 225
Paul.Kossta@osstf.ca