Mom of autistic son calling for consistent policies after confusion around mask use on buses

A Saskatchewan mother is raising concerns about different policies between school divisions when it comes to mask use for students with special needs riding the bus.

The majority of school divisions have mandated that students of all ages have to wear non-medical masks when travelling on the bus.

Most divisions have also made it mandatory for Grades 4 to 12 to wear masks where physical distancing isn't possible inside the school and recommended for Kindergarten to Grade 3 students to do the same.

The mandatory mask policy on buses was a surprise to Carrie Hart. Her son, Lucas, is seven-years-old, and usually takes the bus to Dundurn School. Lucas is on the autism spectrum.

"He has a very hard time speaking. That's one of the things that come with autism. So it's really hard for him to say his needs and his wants," she said.

The policy was announced on the Prairie Spirit School Division's website on Aug. 22, weeks before the start of school.

"It was really hard to get him to understand that he needs to wear a mask in these situations," Hart said. "Kids on the autism spectrum have a hard time generalizing their skills. So he may learn to wear it at home, but he can't transfer that skill to wear it at school."

Hart had arranged for a friend to sit with Lucas and help on the bus, but the two began on different days because of a staggered start. While on the bus the first two days, Lucas took his mask off.

"[The school] said since he took his mask off … that he cannot ride the bus," she said. "It's a health, safety risk for others."

For two weeks, Hart and her husband switched their work schedules to be able to drive Lucas to and from school while advocating for a change.

"The bus is a big thing for him. He likes the bus — it's one of his favourite parts of the day."

The Prairie Spirit School Division said its goal is to always allow students on the bus and it is committed to finding creative ways to accommodate them.

The division said it will work with the family and school to find a solution that also addresses the safety concerns of other students and the bus driver.

Possible solutions include having the student sit two metres from other students if possible, sharing a seat with a family member, having a plan for a student to increase their time with a mask so they could wear it during the bus ride, or a other modes of transportation. The division said it follows the 'Duty to Accommodate Students process' outlined by the Saskatchewan School Boards Association.

A few hours after being contacted by CBC Saskatchewan, the school division told Hart they had found a bigger bus and now Lucas could ride on it without a mask. Hart said the school and principal did a great job following up and trying to find something.

"I'm just happy that my son gets to ride the bus," Hart said. "I didn't expect this to even happen. I thought there would have been a little more lenience on the buses as all the kids adjusted."

Hart said she would like to see a consistent policy across the board in Saskatchewan to avoid any hardship or challenges for other parents.

The Saskatoon Public School Division's parent and caregiver reopening handbook says, "for students unable to wear a mask due to a medical reason, the family will obtain medical documentation and work with the school to create an accommodation plan."

The Saskatoon Catholic School Division's return to school plan says, "accommodations will be made for students and staff who are unable to wear a mask due to medical or other needs."

The Prairie Spirit School Division return to school plan does not mention accommodations and simply states, "all Prairie Spirit students on Prairie Spirit buses will be required to wear a mask."

"There's just so many inconsistencies across policies that make it very hard for little kids and even harder for any child that needs a little bit extra help," Hart said.

Hart suggested having a helper on buses to take some of the stress off bus drivers.

"An extra set of eyes on the bus, whether it's a teacher, assistant or anything like that, would probably be great because then the kids know that someone's watching them and they would probably behave a bit more. Just that extra little help."