Parents are threatening a lawsuit if Berkeley Unified School District doesn’t open its middle and high schools full time for in-person learning by Monday.
A group of more than 40 families, named the Berkeley Parents for Full Reopening, has initiated legal action against the Berkeley Unified School District, pointing to inequity in education as its main drive to return middle and high school students to in-person education.
Berkeley parent Nova Blazej told KCBS Radio that kids have suffered enough.
"I’m aware of many, many families for whom depression has been a regular part of this entire path here and serious depression with crying alone in your room, self-harm, not seeing that you have a life beyond tomorrow morning," Blazej said.
A letter sent by an attorney hired by the parents said the district violated SB-98, an equal protection clause of California’s constitution, by failing to offer full in person instruction.
"Now that it’s safe to be back in school, we really want to ensure that our youth have the opportunity to be back in school, have their education, have their space," Blazej said. "They’re the ones that are going to need to address all of our future problems of systemic racism and climate change and they need a solid education and community within which to do that."
Blazej said they also need a commitment from the district that school will be open full-time in the fall.
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