Most London-area schools to close Monday should strike commence

The Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) announced Thursday its schools will close to in-class learning should education workers strike on Monday.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees informed the provincial government on Wednesday that if a collective agreement was not reached by Monday, Nov. 21, its 55,000 members would go back on strike.

TVDSB released an update saying schools will not be open to students and transportation will not be running.

“During this time, we are unable to keep schools safely open to in person learning,” the update said.

Learning will be provided in real-time with teacher-led instruction starting Monday. There will be no changes for students who are already enrolled in virtual learning.

“We will do our best to provide continuity of learning for all students,” the board statement said. “Families are encouraged to refer to the course or classroom’s digital learning platform (Google Classroom or Brightspace) or contact their child’s teacher for information about Monday’s learning.”

Families with urgent need will be provided technology. School staff will let parents know when devices can be picked up.

The London District Catholic School Board, Huron Perth Catholic District School Board, Lambton-Kent District School Board, and the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board (BGCDSB) will all be closing to in-person learning.

The BGCDSB also issued their plans for strike action Thursday saying students will shift to remote learning if a settlement is not reached.

At BGDSB schools, the strike would see staff such as educational assistants, custodians, secretaries, and various in-class support staff withdraw services.

“After assessing the safety risks for our students, the board has made the very difficult decision to close schools to students in the event of a strike. Safety for all remains the board’s primary concern and was the predominant factor that was considered in making this decision,” the update said.

The board said while it remains hopeful “negotiations this weekend will be successful and a strike can be averted,” it encourages family to make arrangements for alternative child care next week.