This petition of certain residents of the Australian Capital Territory draws to the attention of the Assembly that our children’s social interactions and mental wellbeing are being negatively impacted by the ACT Government’s decision to keep public schools closed for Term 2.
Your petitioners therefore request the Assembly to call upon the ACT Government to:
1. Accept that although there has been a lot of time and effort invested in planning for online learning for term 2, it is no longer the optimum solution for our community;
2. Listen to the advice being provided by a well-respected infectious diseases expert, Professor Collignon, who states that keeping schools closed until Term 3 could result in more of a danger;
3. Consider the negative mental health and social impacts to our children of keeping our schools closed, and
4. Re-open public schools in the ACT in Term 2 2020, or as soon as possible, for the benefit of the majority of ACT residents.