CARLSBAD, Calif. Thousands of California parents who want to see their students return to school have experienced an emotional roller coaster this week, with many saying it’s hard to put any trust in the government’s conflicting narrative and decisions on school reopenings.
In early March, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a $6.6 billion incentive plan, declaring that it was time for kids to safely return to the classroom. But just six days into the push, one of his health department appointees denied the applications of three San Diego-area school districts to expand in-person learning, overturning a decision by the top county public health official who had approved the districts’ opening plans two weeks ago.
A year ago, the world came to an abrupt stop.
The majority of U.S. schools switched to remote learning as the coronavirus made its way through communities. On the heels of the one-year anniversary of school closures, Gov. Gavin Newsom is pushing districts to return to in-person learning.
The governor is offering financial incentives for districts that bring select grades back to campus. Despite a statewide push to innoculate, not all Monterey County educators have completed or even started their COVID-19 vaccination process. The county opened vaccine appointments to the education sector on March 3.
A Monterey County district says it will forego state-issued reopening funds in order to ensure the safety and health of families and staff.
Updated on March 9, 2021 at 12:09 am
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Late Sunday night superintendents with Carlsbad Unified School District, San Dieguito Union High School District, and Poway Unified School District announced they did not get their waivers approved by the state to resume in-person instruction.
The three superintendents Ben Churchill, Ed.D., with CUSD; Robert Haley, Ed.D., with SDUHSD; and Marian Kim Pheps, Ed.D., with PUSD each said they spoke directly with Dr. Naomi Bardach, lead of the Safe Schools for All Team for the state of California, and asked she appeal the decision, but said Bardach was unwilling to change the ruling and said the decision was final.
POWAY (KUSI) – Dr. Naomi Bardach, Lead of California’s Safe Schools for All Team, informed the Poway Unified School District that their application to expand in-person teaching for middle and high school students was not approved by the California Department of Public Health.
Cohorts of students are not able to remain in one classroom with a single teacher for the entire day, since secondary students have multiple teachers, courses, and schedules, Dr. Bardach told PUSD Superintendent Marian Kim Phelps.
Even after a complete review, PUSD’s application had the full support of the San Diego County Public Health Officer, Dr. Wilma Wooten, and her team.
San Dieguito Union High School District, Poway Unified School District, and Carlsbad Unified School District cannot resume in-person learning, according to CDPH