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When Will LAUSD Drop Its Indoor Mask Mandate? Still TBD
At Benjamin O. Davis Middle School, Jamaiia Bond with the Compton Unified School District (second from right) demonstrates how students would log on to Hazel Health's virtual mental health therapy platform.
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Robert Garrova / LAist
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LAist
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It’s been over a week since L.A. County dropped its indoor mask mandate. But right now it’s unclear when the L.A. Unified School District might do the same.
In a statement released Friday, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) said it’s “currently working with labor partners and other stakeholders to transition from required indoor masking to a strong recommendation for indoor masking.”
Board member Nick Melvoin went to Twitter to voice disappointment at that vague statement, calling for the district to align with the county’s rules as soon as possible.
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has expressed support for doing that:
A Message from Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho.
— Alberto M. Carvalho (@LAUSDSup) March 13, 2022
Un Mensaje del Superintendente Alberto M. Carvalho. pic.twitter.com/WwIYxmtPtd
But parent Jessica Craven says she’s been impressed with LAUSD’s handling of COVID so she’s fine waiting on a decision, as long as it doesn’t take the whole school year.
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When the outdoor mask mandate was dropped, Craven said her sixth grader and much of their class chose to keep masking up even though they didn’t have to.
“It’s just going to take time,” Craven said. “I think that these kids have been traumatized way more than any of us really care to acknowledge at this point because we’re still sort of in it.”
UTLA, the L.A. teachers union, said in a statement that another discussion with LAUSD over proposed changes to health and safety protocols is scheduled for Wednesday.
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