Thread by @jhengstler

@prof_nch Unfortunately, #BC #PHO made a ministerial exemption for profs/presenters/lecturers to unmask while teaching if they maintain a 2m barrier or are behind ‘a barrier’. I have objected to this not only on the science but also on the ethics.

@prof_nch When faculty colleagues signaled their unmasking exemption interests via email—I pointed out the power bias of STUDENTS being put in the position to police faculty for maintaining 2m—which is a LOT farther than people think. Brought in a 2m cardboard tube to demo to my students.

@prof_nch I sent 2nd email with the Marin County #US @CDCgov case study where temporarily unmasked teacher infected 1/2 a masked, distanced class with air filtration, open windows & doors—& provided a color coded image of class chart on pg 2 cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/7…

@prof_nch @CDCgov AND let my colleagues know that all YR4 students (whom I teach) were doing the Marin case study as part of my #COVID19 in the classroom lesson in my course.

@prof_nch @CDCgov I also refuse to attend faculty meetings where a presenter or other faculty are eating (need to unmask) or are taking advantage of another exemption that allow faculty to meet & unmask indoors if no students or members of the public are present.

@prof_nch @CDCgov This allowing unmasking regardless of #vaccination status in all-faculty meetings was also provided by #BC #PHO in a ministerial order on masks that I reviewed with a @WorkSafeBC officer. It makes little sense when otherwise all must mask indoors. 🤬

@prof_nch @CDCgov When I sent emails asking for advanced notice of faculty meetings where attendees would be eating, unmasking—or presenters unmasking because I would not attend F2F— I literally had a faculty member email me —2x—that they felt offended & that felt my email was targeted at them.

@prof_nch @CDCgov Watching the particular individual go unmasked F2F while I virtually attended very 1st meeting of yr raised my awareness colleagues might by choice go unmasked & it was not going to be okay with me. Experience made me aware I would not be able to do F2F indoors with unmasked.