About Us

We are a grassroots, 100% volunteer-led organization that are fighting for a safe, in-person education for all students in Ontario.  We are taking this fight to the courts.

There is ever-increasing evidence of the damage even a “mild” Covid infection can cause. The risk of serious long-term outcomes increases with each infection. But there are scientific, evidence-based solutions that can be implemented to greatly reduce the transmission of Covid-19 in congregate settings like schools.

We believe that scientific evidence and comprehensive data analysis should be behind every public health decision across the province — not political expediency or popularity.

Every child, even those who are immunocompromised or have vulnerable household members, deserves access to uninterrupted, in-person education

Our Team

OntarioSchoolSafety currently includes ~20 core volunteers. We are parents, educators, front-line workers, lawyers, and doctors who have been brought together by a commitment to safe and inclusive schools. These are some of the people you may hear speaking on behalf of our organization.

Dr. Heather Hanwell

Dr. Heather Hanwell is the parent of an Ontario student and a researcher specializing in epidemiology and human biology. Like Kathryn H., Heather is a founding member of the Ontario School Safety team. As one of our spokespersons, you will see her speaking on our behalf in interviews.

Kate Liang

Kathleen is an expert communications advisor who has been crucial in helping the team establish its growing online presence and messaging. Kate, along with Dr. Hanwell and Mary Jo, are the official spokespeople for Ontario School Safety. 

Mary Jo Nabuurs

Mary Jo is a Twitterspace co-host and a highly engaged, concerned parent of three. She is one of the several founding members of the Ontario School Safety team and is a vocal advocate for proper investments in public education and healthcare/Long-Term Care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools are a significant vector for community spread and many children are unable to protect themselves. When schools are unsafe, children, families, and communities are at risk. We concluded that focusing our efforts on making schools safer as soon as possible would have the greatest impact.

No. Our goal is to make schools safer, not to dictate how that is achieved. We are advocating for the implementation of effective, evidence-based protections. Visit the solutions page to learn about some measures that may be practical for schools.

Visit the take action page to learn about volunteering and other opportunities to get involved!

We can’t share specifics about the lawsuit yet because it might compromise our case as we build it. Volunteers are working with a small, carefully selected legal team to build the best case and to use donations effectively.

Unfortunately, what should be a matter of public health has been twisted into a divisive political issue. Many of our members have safety concerns related to speaking out publicly. As a group, we are able to advocate for safer schools without becoming targets of harassment or abuse.

We are a non-partisan group of volunteers that care about the safety of our community and want to do something to stand up against the politically-driven abdication of public health responsibilities.

All money donated goes towards funding our advocacy and legal activities. We are not funded by any other organization or cause.