The new school year, which starts in August, will continue to be through virtual teaching
Two days after the majority of the Teachers Union (UTLA) members voted against reopening the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) campus, for fear of coronavirus infections, Superintendent Austin Beutner joined this call. .
LAUSD has about 75,000 employees and serves more than 700,000 students, of whom nearly 80% are from low-income families. It is also the second largest school district in the United States, followed by New York.
Beutner published a video on social media on Monday where she assured that LAUSD tries to balance the learning needs of students, the impact of the virus on working families and the health and safety in schools in all communities.
“Although the new school year will begin in August, it will not start with the students in the educational facilities,” he assured.
“The health and safety of everyone in the school community is not something we can compromise.”
The superintendent explained that news of the spread of the virus remains a cause for great concern, noting that last week was the worst in the Los Angeles area.
“The rate of those who tested positive for the virus is close to 10%, [una cifra] well above the 5% level, which are guidelines the World Health Organization says is appropriate for communities to reopen, ”said Beutner.
And the numbers have been so alarming that California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Monday the closing of nonessential businesses in 30 state counties as well as the permanent closure of certain services throughout the state.
Good decision, but the school is missed
History teacher Ron Gochez of Dra. Maya Angelou Community High School said that for him as a teacher, the news comes as a great relief.
“Opening the schools right now would help spread COVID-19 even more in our communities, so the district made the right choice.”
“I want to go back to the classroom and my colleagues too, but we want to do it when it’s safe,” he said.
Gochez, who teaches grades 10 and 11, said that as soon as Beutner finished breaking the news, he took it upon himself to give notice to his students, who had mixed feelings.
“They are happy because they agree that it is not safe at the moment [la reapertura]But they also want to go back, especially the seniors in high school, “he said.
Ana Ponce, executive director of Great Public Schools Now and mother of a third-grade student at a LAUSD school, said that for her, the safety of her son is a priority.
“We know that for now we will be with distance learning, but I am concerned about the number of minutes of instruction my son has been offered in the last months… Therefore, my main concern is what are the details of this time, how much instructional time will be received by children with online instruction. ”
Ponce also said that Great Public Schools Now, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the educational well-being of children, is very aware of the fact that not all students are receiving a free appropriate public education because they do not have the necessary access. .
“They cannot learn if they do not have an Internet connection or do not have the appropriate device, something functional that they can use to learn,” he explained.
“[Aunque] I know that many community organizations are mobilizing to achieve state and federal policies that address that. ”
This is a concern shared by teacher Gochez, who said that by the end of the spring semester his class had only 30% of students and now, in summer classes, he has almost 60% of the students, who used to be in his class.
Physical distance until further notice
Beutner said in his statement that some people claim that children are less likely to carry the virus or suffer less serious medical consequences if they contract the disease.
However, he added that there is little research to support these claims and that the reopening of schools would only significantly increase the interaction between children and adults from different families.
“A 10-year-old student can have a 30-year-old teacher, a 50-year-old bus driver and live with a 70-year-old grandmother,” explained the LAUSD superintendent.
“All of them must be protected,” he said, explaining that there is a public health emergency to prevent schools from becoming a place of contagion.
He added that for August, a team of educators continues to work 24 hours a day to establish plans for the new school year.
“Our commitment to students and their families is to provide the best possible education in the classroom. [en el aula o virtual]”
If classes are to be taken online, schools will ensure that they include a regular schedule of standards-based instruction, which includes daily live participation between teachers and students.
“Teachers will use regular assessments of student progress to guide their work with students and keep families informed,” he added.
“When possible, schools will add individual instruction and tutoring, after school and on Saturday mornings, to help students make up for lost time and accelerate their progress.”
Beutner assured that there will be more detailed information on the school curriculum during the first week of August.
