Sudbury mom fighting for her children to attend school in-person

A parent in Sudbury is frustrated with the Rainbow District School Board after trying to switch her children from virtual to in-class learning.

Robyn Rowe was told by the board she needed to decide by early March. At the time, COVID-19 numbers were still very high, so she chose virtual learning.

One daughter is heading into Grade 10 in September and the other will be heading into Grade 6, both in the Rainbow District School Board.

After two years of learning from home, Rowe is eager to have them resume classes in person. However, she said her efforts to get them back into the classroom have been frustrating.

Board officials said the best they can do is put her daughters' names on a waitlist in August.

"We want to put them back to school and we’re being denied," she said.

"I think that’s absolutely ridiculous because if I moved across this city, any one of the schools that we live near, they would have no problem taking us. So why can’t we move from virtual learning to in-class for the betterment of my kids?"

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Rowe said it’s in the best interest of her kids that they go back to school and learn in a social setting. She said the risk of COVID-19 is no longer as big a worry as having her daughters continue to learn in isolation.

"We’ve realized now that their social, emotional, physical well-being, just in general, those burdens that they’re facing really outweigh the risk,” she said.

Despite repeated attempts, however, she's said she's getting nowhere.

"I’ve spoken to some administrators -- really some unremorseful, un-empathetic people who are like, 'this is the way it is,'" Rowe said.

"So, Grade 10 and Grade 6, they have no choice according to what I’m getting feedback on."

When asked for comment, the Rainbow District School Board gave CTV News this statement:

"Parents/guardians were invited to complete a survey to register their children for the virtual school for the 2022-2023 school year. The virtual school was staffed based on the choices parents made. Any request for change, due to extenuating circumstances, will be considered when we revisit staffing based on enrolment prior to the start of the school year."

Rowe said if nothing changes, she might switch school boards for the sake of her children.