A group of parents and community members submitted a regulatory complaint to the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) against the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) about school ventilation systems. .“It’s not really enough to be told things are ‘safe’ or they ‘meet guidelines,’” said complainant Amanda Hu in a Thursday press release. .“These measures are straightforward and they're either being done or not, so it was concerning to not get specific answers and get answers that conflicted with guidance from government publications or expert recommendations.” .The complaint stems from concerns about the engineering ethical and skill requirements related to implementing ventilation and filtration mitigations for COVID-19 in schools. .APEGA said in 2021 it made submissions to Alberta ministries about the importance of reviewing ventilation and filtration in buildings such as classrooms. .Complainant Jennifer Haverhals, who works as a licensed engineer, said when it became clear COVID-19 was airborne and engineering could be used to stop it, it was “exciting to me, because now I felt I could actually do something to help protect my family.” .“But parents have faced considerable pushback from the CBE,” said Haverhals. .“I am aware of the engineers’ responsibility towards public safety, and the lack of engagement and detail from the CBE left me with concerns.” .The Alberta government acknowledged schools are a source of respiratory outbreaks, adding to parents’ concerns about school building safety when it comes to transmitting illnesses. The release said the situation has become more urgent because COVID-19 restrictions such as mask mandates and isolation policies have been repealed. .Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Monday she will not support school boards reinstating mask requirements amid an uptick in respiratory virus cases. .READ MORE: Smith says mask mandates not coming back to schools.“We’ve heard loud and clear from parents that they want a normal school environment for their kids,” said Smith. .“We’re going to let kids be kids.”.This is the third school year parents expressed frustration with a lack of action about COVID-19 prevention and obstructing parents and staff bringing in their own devices. .Hu said other schools boards added air filters, so she knows “it is possible if school boards are motivated to protect kids’ health.” .“What we don’t understand is why the decisions were made to not implement these things in CBE schools,” she said.
