Rob McKnight, right, his son Cale, middle, and his wife Lindsay, left. (Submitted photo/Rob McKnight)

By Ian Gustafson

Family Frustrated

P.A. family fights to uphold in school mask exemption for autistic son

Nov 3, 2021 | 4:30 PM

Issues surrounding a mask exemption have prevented a 10-year-old boy with autism from attending school this year.

Rob McKnight said his son Cale’s autism makes it difficult to wear a mask.

When the mask mandate was introduced towards the end of the last school year, McKnight and his wife, who are both nurses, encouraged Cale to try wearing a mask, but it didn’t go well.

“Prior to school he would cry, he would have anxiety and panic attacks because he would get headaches from it and with his autism and other issues he has, the texturing stuff on his face and just that would really bother him.”

McKnight told paNOW he has provided the Prince Albert Catholic School Division (PACSD) with multiple letters from doctors giving Cale medical exemption. He said Cale’s pediatrician and the medical health officer both agreed he shouldn’t have to wear one and reached out to the school, but the PACSD wouldn’t budge. McKnight said they had no choice but to pull Cale out of class – a huge loss since he attends a special program at St. Johns Community School specifically designed for children with behavioural issues. Rob said it took them four years to get their son into the program.

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“[Cale] sits at home and he cries and says you know ‘why do my teachers hate me? Why do my friends at school hate me? They won’t let me in the school.’ And it just breaks your heart. We explain to him that’s not the case, but he doesn’t understand. He just thinks that this is a personal attack on Cale, and they hate him because he can’t wear his mask,” McKnight said.

The family has offered the school several ideas on how they could get Cale back into the classroom without a mask. They suggested daily rapid tests, or putting plexiglass around his desk at their own cost, among other ideas.

“I’m a nurse and I can go to work and get tested three times a week with these same tests and that’s good enough for me to go to work and work with COVID patients all day every day but it’s not good enough for my son to go to school. It just makes no sense there just seems to be no give,” he said.

Catholic School Division in response

Meanwhile PACSD Director of Education Lorel Trumier said she can’t comment on specific student situations but did provide paNOW a statement in an email saying the division has a masking policy in place based on requirements of the Public Health Order on mandatory isolation and face coverings, including masks in school.

“The school division identified that in-class learning will be the primary mode of operation, prioritizing in-person learning and instruction. Students and staff who participate in in-person learning must wear masks indoors in all facilities,” the statement read.

“Communication has been widely shared with the school community regarding masking requirements. We also continue to have constant communications with our Public Health Officer in order to align our school division processes with the Public Health Orders.”

Trumier did say in the statement there is an accommodation process in place that applies to any student whose doctor said they cannot wear a mask.

“Accommodation may include making adjustments that enable the student to use a mask or it may involve supports for home schooling or distance education.”

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Ian.Gustafson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @IanGustafson12