Concerned parents to protest postponement of extracurricular activities

The postponement of all extra-curricular activities at Windsor-Essex schools is not sitting well with some parents.

Rob Moore and several other parents are organizing a rally Thursday afternoon in front of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit building calling for answers on the decision.

Just days before the return to class, the health unit put out a recommendation all school boards delay extracurriculars until at least October due to rising COVID-19 case numbers.

Moore says many kids have been playing sports and hanging out with friends all summer.

"The problem that we have is that the local health unit is shutting down all extra-curricular activities in Windsor and Essex County, but we've been playing and these kids have been doing sports and other stuff all summer and now we're going to penalize our local kids where the rest of the province is doing extra-curricular activities? It just doesn't make sense."

Moore says putting all activities on the back burner just doesn't make sense.

"We're very frustrated as parents, as coaches and we need all the support we can get," he continued. "We need to show the health unit that they don't run everything around here. The numbers don't add up with the young kids to be putting them in the predicament that they are."

Moore says, if there was ever a time sports, clubs and field trips were needed, it's now.

"The mental state of these kids, which the school board is so worried about, if that's what they're worried about they should really be looking at they've done to these students in regards to extra-curricular activities. We need to fight and we need to show to our younger generation, our kids, that we're not going to stand for this," Moore stated.

The rally is scheduled to take place Thursday at 4 p.m. at the health unit building located at 1005 Ouellette Ave.

Moore is encouraging all families affected by the postponement to attend.

- with files from AM800's Rob Hindi