My name is Brianna. I am a second year student at George Brown College in Toronto studying Fashion BUSINESS. For some reason, the college feels it should be required for me to know how to sew in order to be a qualified business woman. During a global pandemic that still has no end in sight, they think it completely logical for me, a small town student, to travel to them, a big city covid hotspot where they (the school) have had several cases already, to complete four days of sewing to earn my final credit needed to graduate. My mother is a high risk person as she is diabetic so I emailed the fashion department of George Brown to see if they would exempt me from that final course (FASH1143) since it isn't safe for me to go. Both the program coordinator and Chair of George Brown have denied me this request and insisted that I come in person to complete the course or defer it and postpone completion of my diploma.

I have completed all other courses required to graduate and paid for the program in full. I didn't pay to get 95% of a diploma, I paid to get 100% of a diploma so I can move forward with my life and career. I am starting this petition for all the students in my program who are:

• in a similar position as me or
• who are international and/or
• who agrees that we should get the option to waive FASH1143 if we choose.

If you are not a student in this program but you agree, please share this and spread the word. Fellow graduating F112's, I am offering this petition to you so we can actually have our voices heard by the institution we go into debt for. This is a business program, NOT a design program and it ISN'T our fault that there's a pandemic and George Brown is ill-prepared.