Gov. Gavin Newsom and state legislative leaders have struck a deal on a package of financial incentives to try to get more of California’s public schools to reopen for in-person learning by the end of the month, but is it good enough?
As part of the deal, districts aren't required to bring kids back to the classroom.
If they don’t, those districts will lose out on access to extra funding. The agreement also doesn’t require that all teachers be vaccinated before they return. Will this deal be enough to get reluctant school districts and teachers’ unions to agree to reopen for in-person education?
"Truthfully, we’re calling this a failure," said Megan Bacigalupi, mother of two young children in the Oakland Unified School District. Bacigalupi is one of the leaders of the OUSD Parents group and of the statewide Open Schools California.
The governor stopped short of using his authority to order schools back.
"That’s something that would help us immediately," she said. "At this point, that’s maybe what’s needed. Certainly, that’s one thing we’ve called for, some sort of immediate executive action to compel schools to open."
Bacigalupi likened Monday’s announcement to a "carrot/stick method," saying she believes many of the larger districts across the state and country won’t be reopen when the April cutoff arrives.
Many teachers are eligible for a coronavirus vaccine as of now, however, many are still in the process of getting them or scheduling their appointments. While Bacigalupi said parents should have the option to continue distance learning if they'd like, she told KCBS Radio's "The State of California" teachers should have no hesitation getting back to in-person classes.
"I know some of them were scared, they had fears," Bacigalupi said of the first teachers that went back into classrooms last fall. "Certainly, even back then, it was a different situation and we knew less than we know now. There are teachers…who had trepidation about going back. When I talk to them now, sure there were ups and downs as they figured out the process, but they all knew it was the right thing to do for the kids and they’re happy that it happened."
Related
