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This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
Some school districts open, others shut down for Thanksgiving week
A lot of Southland public school students have the week off — and a lot of others are supposed to be in school.
Some school districts give teachers and students the week off because absences traditionally shoot up during Thanksgiving week.
Recent cuts in state funding compelled L.A. Unified, as well as school districts in Long Beach, San Juan Capistrano, and Riverside to shut down for the week. School districts in Glendale, San Bernardino, and Orange are also on the list of districts taking all or part of this week off.
The 16 schools in Santa Monica-Malibu Unified are open for learning through Wednesday, says school board member Ben Allen, but the holiday on Thursday makes it tough to stay focused.
"A three-day week is always going to be a little more problematic. I think it's one of the reasons why we were interested in trying to look at the possibility of having this week off as a whole," Allen said.
To cut its budget, the Santa Monica-Malibu teachers’ union and administration agreed to five unpaid furlough days spread throughout the school year.