After being closed for more than a year, this Tuesday some schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) officially began the reopening of their schools.
However, this has happened in the midst of a controversy by parents who support the decision while others question it.
Jessi Argueta, mother of two third-year children and second grade, said he supports the decision to have his children return to face-to-face classes this Wednesday. She asserted that for her children it has been very difficult to face a year of virtual classes, something for which they were not prepared.
“I was not one hundred percent sure but I have a child with autism and it has been very difficult for him to pay attention, “he said. “They give him anxiety attacks, he can’t pay attention and he can’t spend much time in front of the computer.”
The mother of the family indicated that once the school explained to her how she is going to When it was back to school, she felt more comfortable.
Among the precautionary measures they told her that in the classroom there will only be 14 students. Kindergarten and first graders will have an entrance and exit door and 15 minutes later the second and third graders will arrive. Nor will parents waiting outside or street vendors be allowed.
“In the classroom, each child will have their own desk and the bathrooms will be monitored,” Argueta indicated.
“They will be explained how they are going to keep their distance, all the personnel are vaccinated and there will be enough soap and disinfectant.”
LAUSD indicated that the reopening of classrooms for the youngest will take place in a period of three days.
On Tuesday, classes began for students in kindergarten and first grade. Second and third grade students will start on Wednesday and fourth and fifth grade students will start on Thursday. It is estimated that by the end of the month all schools from kindergarten to twelfth grade will be open.
Argueta said that initially he planned to leave the children at home but after seeing that over time his children they were getting too stressed, he chose to take them.
“At home we also plan to vaccinate all of us to be safer,” he indicated.
Tests for all
It is estimated that this week around 7 will return to face-to-face classes, 000 students from 61 elementary schools and 11 early education programs. Middle and high schools are scheduled to reopen their doors by 26 April.
In an effort to control the contagion Schools are offering free COVID testing – 19 for all students and staff at each campus.
LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner said the commitment is to reopen schools as safely as possible.
COVID tests – 19 before going back to school each week, ”he said.
He added that there will probably be “Some bumps in the road” when all schools reopen but in the end it will all be worth it.
Not everyone agrees
Despite the fact that many students have already started attending classes since Tuesday, some parents indicated that they will not take their children until they make sure that the virus is c Fully controlled.
Rosa Valencia is part of that group. She has a 6-year-old girl who attends kindergarten. Valencia said she is very concerned because she felt that the school her daughter attends in south central Los Angeles did not offer her enough security.
“The principal said she was going to call to the parents to pick up the children who do not leave the mask on and we know that they are not going to leave it on because they are children ”, he said.
“They are not going to keep their distance either because they want to play.”
Valencia said that at the end of 2020, she, her husband and three children of legal age tested positive for COVID – 19.
The 6-year-old did not know She did a COVID test so Valencia doubts if she was already infected or not.
In the case that she has not had the virus, her mother is concerned that she could be infected in the school and bring the virus home.
“My husband is diabetic and we are very afraid that he will be infected again,” she indicated.
“Besides, it left me very affected . I get dizzy, I am very tired and to date I have insomnia and a lot of panic. ”
Valencia indicated that for now she will have the family safe with the little girl at home taking online classes until give you more security about how the process will be with the little ones in the classrooms.
The mother was part of a group of parents of Latino students who recently sent a letter to the LAUSD superintendent expressing their concerns about the reopening.
In the letter parents criticized LAUSD for reopening without taking into account the severity of the virus in communities of color. They indicated that they have been severely impacted by COVID – 19, some even lost loved ones.
“We have had less access to vaccines and urgent, necessary, and high quality medical care ”, indicates the letter sent on April 8 by the group Our Voice; communities for quality education.
“Therefore, parents need a clear plan that shows that there is enough immunity in the community to safely return to classes in person.”
Since March of 2020 the majority of California’s 6.1 million students in the 1, 037 Public schools have been taking classes online.
School districts like Long Beach, Downey, Glendale and Manhattan Beach reopened their schools much earlier with limited capacity with priority for the youngest.
LAUSD indicated that elementary schools will offer three hours of work focused on literacy, math, science, and social studies, as well as recess and lunch. There will also be help with homework and extracurricular activities.
A survey conducted last week by LAUSD showed that 49% of elementary school parents want their children to return to the classroom.
The 25% of families with middle school students agreed to reopen; while 35% of families of students in high schools said they will send students to face-to-face classes.