N.L. mom to home-school her 3 kids, in absence of plan for immunocompromised students

Without a solid plan in place for immunocompromised kids in Newfoundland and Labrador schools,one mother in the Bonavista Bay area has decidedto pull all three of her kids from school this September.

Candace Lawlor'smiddle child, 10-year-old Adam, has asthma and is considered high risk for complications if he were to contract the pandemic virus.

As details began dribbling out about the province's back-to-school plan, Lawlor realized there was a lack of options for kids in Adam's position. The family, who live in Portland,made the call to home-school all three kids.

"We shouldn't be in this position," Lawlorsaid.

"The school board, the government had since March to come up with a contingency plan that would ensure equal access to education for all students. That would ensure my 10-year-old knows his health and his education matters."

A documentobtained by CBC'sHere & Now earlier this week shows the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District told the Department of Education it has "no contingency developed to provide learning" to students with compromised immune systems.

"Current human resourcing levels will not be able to provide simultaneous instruction to students in person and through virtual means," the letter reads.

In interviews over the last week, both Education Minister Tom Osborne and NLESD director of educationTony Stack have said there is still lots to be worked out with the province's education plan, including online learning.

More details will be announced at a news conference Thursday afternoon.

Lawlor has already made her choice based on what she's seen so far and conversations she's had with her kids.

"Of course you don't want to pull your children if you don't have to," she said."However, in talking to all three of them we realized we couldn't send any of them safely back."

She planned on home-schooling her two youngest kids either way, but worried what education she could provide to her eldest child in Grade 10.

Lawlor said it wasn't good for the oldest child's mental health to be at school worrying about bringing home a dangerous virus to his younger brother.

She said the focus at home this year will be"progression, not perfection," and Lawlor has a message for other parents who might be in a similar situation.

"Trust your instincts," she said. "It's not going to be a perfect year in school. Probably won't be a perfect year at home either. But it's one year. You can do it."

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