I started this blog a couple years ago as an avenue to present what was important to me. It quickly became apparent that my writings were based mostly on “feel good” subjects, mostly around specific holiday observances. To be honest, most were not much of a “rant” but that’s ok; that’s my prerogative. *s* Today, after much consideration and discussion with concerned parents, I do feel compelled to pen a “rant” .
I am deeply disturbed by a decision to allow learning institutions to be used for mass vaccinations during regular school hours. I am sure the people who made the decision to utilize these public facilities had to think this through and had a difficult time making the final decision (or I would hope they did) . There are a great deal of factors that should have been considered before selecting these facilities such as the following:
- The risk of further contamination of our children by increased people visiting the school.
- Increased traffic on the parking lot. The existing drop-off/pick-upsystem at Amalgamated is very controlled. There is no extra parking at the building as the front of the building should remain clear for fire protection and bus drop off/pick-up
- The school is supposed to be a secure facility; I take great comfort knowing that the school takes great measures to ensure our children’s safety. I know that security is suppose to be posted at each school for the students but it still leaves me to question why do this have to take place in our schools?
- The MAJOR point that upsets me is that our children will not have use of the gym for a long period of time; physical education is just as important to the students well being as math or science. Youth obesity is on the rise in Newfoundland and Labrador and for many students the opportunity for physical activity only takes place in the school environment. To take this away shows a blatant lack of planning for our children.
- Amalgamated Academy,in my opinion, is one of the most progressive schools in our province with amazing theatrical, music, and sports programs. I affectionately call the school the next “Fame School”. Taking away use of this portion of the school even for a month has me fuming and is an injustice to the student population.
- My last comment is that both Bay Roberts and Carbonear both have large facilities that can facilitate the great need for immunizations. The Lions Clubs come to mind instantly; I am sure they could use the rental money and by moving immunization to such a building would free up the money that would have been spent on security.
Please note that I do not dispute the need for such action by the provincial government, it is a good call. I do dispute the need to close a much needed facility when there are other buildings . Consultations with local school councils and the public should of happened before this was decided. I do not now what they were thinking.
I ask you all, as parents, friends, and family to comment on my blog as I will be sending comments along to concerned bodies, and please write our elected officials to put a stop to this decision. We can make a difference.!!!!!!!!
Thanks
God Bless
Ron D
18 Comments
Ron, I agree with one hundred percent. I think that it is a very bad decision to have it at Amalgamated or any other school. Thousands of people having to go to the school, what about when the buses arrive to drop off or pick up. Got kind of mass confusion is it going to be. Not only that but exposing the kids is just not suitable. I agree with you the Lions Club or some other hall would be much better. Also, it doesn’t make sense to have just one place for all the surrounding area.
Joyce
Ron,
I completely agree with the points that you have made. As a parent of a child at Amalgamated Academy, I do not agree with the decision to hold public vaccinations at our or any school. Our children should not be negatively impacted.
Colette
Wow! My daughter came home ranting and raving about how they were losing their gym at Carbonear Collegiate for vaccine distribution. Not only was she worried about not being able to use it but she brought many of your points forward as well. She was concerned about the numbers of people coming through their doors and wondering about the sterilization of the facility after this was all finished and worried about the germs that were being brought into their school by hundreds of people. Their parking lot would certainly not be safe for them. It didn’t occur to me at the time that THERE ARE OTHER LARGE FACILITIES in our communities that can accommodate the month long vaccination period. I doubt that a lot of parents even gave it a second thought being that the vaccination is so important.
I certainly do agree that this could have been given a more serious consideration. Is there any reason why they can’t use another facility? What about people coming through the doors of the schools? I know there will be enhanced security, but what about (and I hate to say this, but it’s reality) someone sees this as an opportunity to get into the school to perform illegal acts. Maybe I’m a little out there with that, but will the students be using the same entrances? Will other doors be locked around the schools? I am surprised that parents weren’t consulted or given the opportunity to have their concerns addressed. For sure this is something that requires a consultation with parents and students. After all, our schools are places where our children are supposed to feel safe and secure!
You are absolutely right about the Lions Club! Is there some reason why this facility cannot be used? If the prov gov’t is paying out rental fees, then I am certain that this facility could use the added income. It certainly has the capacity for large crowds.
Thank you for bringing this to light. I hope that the least the people responsible can do is to hold an information session to answer to the concerns of the parents and the students.
Thank you, Ron!
Ron,
I too agree with your comments 100%. My child attends Amalgamated and with the media and all the talk she is extremly upset. So not only from the parent’s view (this is wrong) it is also seen as wrong in the eyes of a child. She is terrified of getting this flu and the thoughts of all those people possibly bringing the virus into her school is frightening. The school should have been the last place choosen for this public vaccination.
As a parent, I am in total agreement with you on this one, Ron. The public and the parents of children attending this school, should have been asked, or even been informed, of this decision before it was finalized. The children are our future and we should have their health as top priority.
RON, I TOTALLY AGREE. WE TRY OUR BEST AS CAREGIVERS TO OUR CHILDREN TO KEEP THEM OUT OF ARMS WAY AND PROTECT THEM FROM ANY PROTENTIAL DANGER YET WE ALLOW THESE DECISIONS TO BE MADE WITHOUT FULLY KNOWING THE CONSEQUENCES.I HOPE THEY RE-THINK THIS VERY CAREFULLY….. CLYDE
Ron,
I completly agree with all your points. There is no need to utilize a school gym when there are several other buildings that would be a better chioce. The mass number of people that will be in attendance for the vaccination will indeed impose on the children.
thank you for trying to bring attention to this matter.
It was just this afternoon that I was sat around with retired teachers at a church function. They were all strongly opionated in the fact that it is completely rediculous to impose into a child’s learning environment with the available vaccine shot for the public, during days in which the children are in school. It seems to me it could cause further complications, by allowing any random person, who possibly has the H1N1, into the environment where children spend their days there could be a further spread of the virus to the age group who are most susceptible to getting it, not to mention the panic that this scene could cause for children who do not quite understand the situation.
I believe this is the LAST place where this event should take place, and I would assume there would be many concerned parents who will keep their children out of school during the days of the Vaccination. Bay Roberts has many available resources and facilities for an event such as this, so perhaps some reconsideration should be placed into the matter and a more suitable location will be designated.
This is an issue on which the school ( or school board )should have called a meeting of parents and got their input.
(They’ve called such meetings on matters of lesser importance.)
We all realize the importance of protecting our community from H1N1 but it should not be at the expense of our school children.
Too much is being compromised by this decision and too few people have been consulted.
To use any building that is daily populated is taking risks, especially a building full of young children.
Whose idea was this, anyway, and who in heavens name agreed to it???
Kudos to you Ron for focusing on this!
Ron, I totally agree with you here. The first thing I thought of was why our schools. The Lions Club was the first place I thought of. Here we have a building that is empty most of the time compared to Amalgamated Academy. As a teacher myself, I feel this was a wrong decision. Here are a massive amount of people going through the doors of Amalgamated during school hours. The issues such as safety of our kids, the increase of the potential of infecting our kids with colds and the flu, parking (being the least of our concerns), as well as the students losing the gym for a whole month, just to name a few. Thanks for the rant!! I wish more people can read this.
I totally agree with the concerns you have all raised. My daughter attends Carbonear Collegiate. I think it is very wrong for these mass immunization clinics to be held in any of the schools across our province. Our children have been identified as one of the groups who are most at risk of being infected with H1N1 and yet we are allowing masses of people, who may already be carrying the virus, to enter their environment. This along with the added conjestion on the school parking lot and the elimination of sports and other physical activities, just makes me wonder how this decision was ever made. I think the parents should have been informed and given the opportunity to voice our concerns before this was decided. As for other buildings…in Carbonear there is a Lions Den, a multi purpose room at the swimming pool which has outside access, a church hall, a fire hall and a Knight’s of Columbus building. In Harbour Grace there is a gym at the SPLASH Centre which I believe is not being used during the daytime, a fire hall, a Knights of Columbus and a church hall. Any of these buildings could have been utilized and had little or no effect on our children. The mass vaccination is certainly needed…but not at the expense of our children!!
Thank you all for you comments, it is good to see parents voicing their concern. It is evident there were solutions other than our school in NL. I have e-mailed this link to those who, if they wished could place it in the right hands to help them understand they were wrong, it is not too late to do something about this.Ya know it takes a big person to admit they are wrong and then do something about it, but just imagine the respect they would gain!!!
Ron, Where is our Fire Chief? It is my understanding that to avoid people actually coming through the main lobby the plan is to use our gym emergency doors and lock access to the gym & the locker / washrooms that can be entered either through the school or gym. If you want this stopped check out our fire rugulations.
For anybody that has been at Amalgamated 2:30 in the afternoon, can you imagine the traffic lined up on both sides of the road, buses trying to get through, parking lot filled with busses and line-ups….God forbid there was an emergency at either the clinic needing an ambulance or fire truck trying to get to the School
I have much to say but would probably lose my job. Funny how those of us capable of making big decisions are not allowed to voice our opinion. I think we were muffled in this situation. Definitely political!
Not to worry. The new vaccination schedule is posted on the Eastern Health site and they have ZERO clinics in the Baccalieu Trail area.
http://www.easternhealth.ca/Newsroom.aspx?d=2&id=361&p=326
Where do we go? I have a chronic illness and would like to get the vaccination.
Margaret, My dad has not been able to be treated and we are getting concerned, I hope all will be good in due time
I agree 110%. I don’t think that the school should be used to give the vaccinations. I had my son home all last week with a flu not the H1N1 but a flu and now I have to send him back to school tomorrow with every tom, dick & harry travelling through the school. We as parents should block the entry and not let them in or let the kids out of school all together. They say they are trying to prevent sickness when they are bringing it in the school. Makes no sense to me.