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LA Teachers Union Pushes Back On Proposed April 9 Reopening
College banners hang above the offices of school staff. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)
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The union that represents 33,000 L.A.-based teachers and school staff is pushing back against the L.A. Unified School District’s attempt to reopen schools on April 9.
On Friday, Cecily Myart-Cruz, president of the United Teachers of L.A., said safety needs to come first.
“We will reject any fixed date that ignores the elements of a safe return,” she said.
The union said that three conditions must be met before school staff will return to the classroom:
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- The county moving into a safer tier
- Staff either being fully vaccinated or have had access to vaccination
- Proper social distancing, ventilation and other safety conditions being in place
Austin Beutner, LAUSD’s superintendent, has said earlier that the district won’t reopen until similar conditions are met.
In a weekly address on Feb. 8, he laid out those conditions: The vaccination of 25,000 non-union personnel, including principals, teachers, bus drivers, custodians and librarians; reducing the level of COVID-19 in L.A. to meet state requirements; and implementing health protocols and practices at schools as non-negotiable prerequisites for inviting students back to campus.
Beutner has faced pressure from parents and local officials to reopen for in-person learning, including a threat from L.A. City Councilmember Joe Buscaino to sue the district in order to force a reopening.
Beutner has maintained that L.A. has not yet met the criteria for a safe return to classrooms.
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