About
We are a grassroots, 100% volunteer-led organization fighting for safe, in-person education for all students in Ontario.
We are pursuing a legal challenge to compel leaders to prioritize school safety over political expedience or popularity.
We believe that expert-informed policy, transparency, and the precautionary principle should be behind every public health decision across the province.
Every child deserves access to safe, uninterrupted, in-person education
Our Team
Ontario School Safety is a group of about 20 core volunteers. We are parents, education workers, front-line workers, lawyers, and doctors who have been brought together by our shared mission. These are some of the people you may hear speaking on our behalf.
Dr. Heather Hanwell
Dr. Heather Hanwell is a parent and a researcher specializing in epidemiology and human biology. Heather is a founding member of the Ontario School Safety team.
Mary Jo Nabuurs
Mary Jo is a Twitterspace co-host and a highly engaged parent of three. She is a vocal advocate for proper investments in public education, health and long-term care.
Kate Laing
Kate is an expert communications advisor focused on communicating the mission of Ontario School Safety, raising awareness of the challenges facing Ontario Schools, and growing our online presence and messaging.
Ryan Tennant
Ryan is a Biomedical and Systems Design Engineering graduate from the University of Waterloo and is currently completing his PhD. He is passionate about engineering solutions to enhance and support our healthcare and education systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are you focusing on schools? Why not everyone?
When schools are unsafe, students, families, and communities are at risk. Many of our volunteers have faced resistance, denial, and even harassment when advocating for protections for their children. It's time for our leaders to step up and collaborate on solutions that we can implement together.
Are you fighting for mask or vaccine mandates?
Our goal is to make schools safer, not to dictate how that is achieved. We are advocating for public health policies that protect the health of the public.
What can you share about the lawsuit?
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.
Are you getting paid? How are you funded?
Our organization is fortunate to have a dedicated team of talented and skilled volunteers who bring a wealth of expertise and passion to our mission. All money donated goes towards funding our advocacy and legal fees.