Parents and teachers affiliated with Safe Schools Coalition BC made several appearances in BC media to express our disappointment in the shortcomings of the updated COVID-19 school safety policies. Here is an overview of some of those segments.

Kyenta Martins, a parent of two, creator of a support group for parents of Option 4 students, and organizer with Safe Schools Coalition BC, had a discussion with CKNW's Jas Johal on Tuesday, August 24.

Also broadcast on Tuesday, August 24 was a CityNews segment prepared by video-journalist Kier Junos. This piece ran in the 6:00pm news, and featured Coalition-affiliated parent advocates Mike McCulloch and Sujoy Ray.

Wednesday morning, Surrey-based teacher and advocate Annie Ohana spoke with CBC's The Early Edition host Stephen Quinn.

Safe Schools Coalition BC also published a media release on Tuesday, following the announcement of the school plans. We continue to call upon the provincial government to ensure the school plans for the 2021/22 year are improved for optimal safety and inclusion. Part of those efforts include our second Rally for Safe Schools. Join us Saturday, August 28 at Holland Park, Surrey, between 12:00pm and 1:30pm.

We maintain, that while vaccines are excellent and should be used by all eligible citizens, they are not a silver bullet. We are of the opinion vaccination must be combined with other nonpharmaceutical Interventions. We are pleased the provincial health officer has reinstated a province-wide masking requirement for indoor public places. However, we are dismayed such masking is not required inside B.C. classrooms for all age-cohorts. Such an order would offer protection to as many students, and their families, as possible.