An Abbotsford school trustee is arguing that in-person learning is more important than ever.

Trustee Stan Peterson said since the pandemic began, youth have been dealing with mental health issues, such as depression, because students are not able to socialize, which is why he believes it is crucial to keep schools open.

During the first wave of COVID-19, schools were shut down due to safety concerns of students and faculty. When the schools shut down, students who did not have the necessary resources were provided with them to continue learning in a safer environment. Peterson says ever since the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, and schools could reopen for in-person learning, the Abbotsford School District has reported 91 COVID-19 "exposures." This number includes both staff and students. Fortunately, most of the people that were infected made a full recovery, and Peterson believes that in-person learning is still offers the best education for Abbotsford students.

Here is the first part of a two-part interview with Stan Peterson: