California Governor, Gavin Newson, has released a plan with details on how schools in the state should resume in-person teaching next spring.
The newly released plan emphasized the need for the youngest students and those struggling with remote to return to in-person early. It also highlighted that the state government would offer $2 billion aid to be used for coronavirus testing, personal protective equipment and would also help schools create more room in classes to enable social distancing and proper ventilation.
Newsom said that the guidelines would help the schools to reopen schools, noting that just reopening in-person classes would not address the spread of coronavirus in communities. He emphasized the need to follow safety rules and threatened schools that did not follow these safety rules with sanctions.
California Governor’s support for in-person classes
California Governor also indicated that in-person learning is the default learning method of the state citing earlier reports that showed that remote learning had contributed to increased anxiety, depression, and undetected child abuse in the state.
The measures by the California governor were commended by the California Teachers Association president E. Toby Boyd who said that he was pleased to see the state was finally coming to the realization that tougher safety standard was needed for reopening. Boyd also added that he hoped the new measures put in place by Newsom would create a statewide plan rather than create more confusion for parents and school districts on reopening measures being implemented.
The State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond indicated that the state would provide frequent testing and contact tracing after an outbreak to make sure they control the spread of the virus.
California Federation of Teachers President Jeff Freitas called the plan a starting point and noted that a lot needed to be done to assure teachers of their safety.
California governor has also promised to support vaccinations in the state, which will allow a return to normalcy in the state. The $2 billion will also support teachers and students to acquire protective gear and for school districts to meet the state’s coronavirus guidelines when reopening in-person classes.
