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State Superintendent: If Funding Is Cut, California Schools ‘Cannot Reopen Safely’
Several of California’s largest school systems — including Los Angeles Unified and Long Beach Unified — have warned that they would have a tough time reopening campuses this fall if they’re forced to absorb the funding cuts Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed last week.
Today, state superintendent Tony Thurmond agreed with them:
"It’s very important for us to receive more federal funding in order to offset those cuts because we believe that our school districts cannot reopen safely if they have to implement these kinds of cuts. It’s simply just a fact that … we’re going to have unavoidable expenses that schools will need to be able to account for in order to ensure that our schools open safely."
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Whenever campuses reopen, Thurmond said it’s “widely believed” students and staff will have to wear masks, campuses will have to be cleaned more often, and class sizes will have to be smaller — all of which will cost money.
- LAUSD Warns Budget Cuts Plus Coronavirus Might Make Reopening Campuses Hard
- Six urban California districts say proposed budget cuts will set back restarting school (EdSource)
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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