Thousands of kids in Oakland dusted off their lunchboxes and sharpened their pencils on Monday.
The district is moving forward with in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year, despite the concerning rise in Delta variant COVID-19 cases.
"I’m excited to see the students back in the classroom and also nervous," said Oakland Academy of Knowledge 3rd grade teacher Beverly Castillo. "We’re still in the pandemic and we’re going to be back in the classroom, which is kind of nerve-wracking."
"We’re thrilled that we are coming back to our campuses to start the 2021-22 school year," said Oakland Unified School District Superintendent Johnson-Trammell. "Despite the challenges that all of us have faced, we look forward to a great school year."
But some hesitant parents have called for the district to delay in-person instruction until COVID-19 vaccines are available for students under 12.
And an additional concern in Oakland is that unlike some other school districts, Oakland Unified is not requiring teachers and school staff to either be vaccinated or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.
Masks are required at schools across the state. And besides masks, Oakland school officials say students will also be required to social distance and have made improvements in ventilation in classrooms.
