The first day in months that Alberta students were not required to wear masks in class was marked with school walkouts and a failed court challenge, as the premier continued to downplay safety concerns.
Mask use is now optional in Alberta schools as of Monday, one of the first steps in the United Conservative government’s plan to ease nearly all COVID-19 restrictions by March 1.
In Calgary, about 50 students walked out of class at Nelson Mandela High School Monday afternoon in protest of the decision. A similar demonstration also took place at Central Memorial High School.
Navreet Sandhu said he took part in the walkout because he feels unsafe at school with masking rules removed and because students’ didn’t have a say in the mandate’s removal.
“I also think if we take our masks off now it’s going to affect all our summers, and we’ll be back in quarantine,” he said.
“I don’t want to get COVID too, because I have a little sister and my dad’s a truck driver… I don’t want to affect him from working.”
“The average student doesn’t feel safe not wearing a mask,” added William Devine, a Grade 11 student who helped organize the walkout.
Students who spoke with Postmedia said the majority of students were still wearing masks in the classroom Monday, but a small number had decided to forgo them.
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