Morning Brief: Masking At School, Making History At The SAG Awards, And Silver Lake Shorts

Good morning, L.A. It’s Mar. 1.

Starting March 12, many kids in California will no longer be required to wear masks in schools. In Los Angeles, things are, naturally, a bit more complicated.

L.A. health officials announced yesterday that they would align with the new California guidance. However, the local teachers’ union already has an agreement in place with the Los Angeles Unified School district to require masks through the end of the school year, and the union has said it’s too soon to renegotiate that agreement.

Charter schools, private schools and childcare facilities not run by LAUSD will be allowed to stop requiring masks indoors, should they so choose.

But what masking update would be complete without contradictory information from officials? Even as he made the announcement that California schools could drop masks, Gov. Gavin Newsom went on to say that state officials still “strongly recommend” masks for students and faculty.

“Masks are an effective tool to minimize spread of the virus and future variants, especially when transmission rates are high,” he said in a statement.

A requirement for students and faculty to mask outdoors was only lifted a week and a half ago, and some experts say that there will be a significant number of students who still aren’t ready to go maskless indoors.

"Reaction to today’s announcement will be mixed," said E. Toby Boyd, president of the California Teachers Association, the state's largest teachers union. "Simply put, while some students are ready to immediately remove their masks, others remain very afraid."

Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A., and stay safe out there.

What Else You Need To Know Today

• A bomb squad technician who was on the scene of a botched controlled fireworks detonation that caused major damage in South L.A. last summer was reportedly told to “relax” after raising concerns.
• Actor Troy Kotsur made history at Sunday’s SAG Awards as the first deaf performer to win an individual trophy.
• Here’s how to reach maximum protection if you’re the only person in the room wearing a mask.
• This week marks the final few days for California high school seniors to apply for state financial aid. College advisors say kids are lagging behind.
• Many working undocumented immigrants don’t qualify for state health insurance, even if they’re not earning a living wage.

Before You Go ... This Week's Event Pick: Silver Lake Shorts: The Return (Anything Goes!)

Los Angeles’ Silver Lake neighborhood has long been pointed to as a prime example of gentrification in the city.

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Alborz Kamalizad

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LAist

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El Cid is bringing back its program of short films by local filmmakers for the first time in more than two years. Organizers aren’t restricting films by genre or theme, so anything goes for this edition.

Or, you could: Enjoy the laughs at Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen. Catch a preview of the play Trayf. Attend the 2022 Billboard Women in Music Awards. Watch The Batman around the clock. Tune into Mariachi Arcoiris at the next installment of KPCC/LAist’s "Evoke L.A." And more.