Los Angeles Times Editorial Board to LAUSD: No More Excuses, No More Delays
[guest post by Dana]
When even the Los Angeles Times says it’s time to re-open the schools…:
Schools have been reopening across the country for months now, illustrating that students can return to classrooms with little risk if the proper precautions have been taken. This is especially true of elementary schools, as younger children have been far less likely to be sickened with COVID-19 or to infect others. Reopened schools have not caused infections to surge in outlying communities.
Yet Los Angeles Unified schools — along with many other public schools statewide — have remained closed. Supt. Austin Beutner, who has been struggling with a teachers union unwilling to send educators back into classrooms, couldn’t have opened the schools anyway because the county’s infection rate was too high to meet the state’s stringent standards. But this week, that rate fell to the point where it is officially safe for all elementary schools in the county to open.
And yet Beutner, who is still embroiled in talks with the United Teachers Los Angeles, has no immediate plans to reopen.
There are no more excuses. Further delay is unacceptable.
According to the report, Beutner has been working hard to make sure that mitigation efforts are in place. This includes upgraded air filtration systems, testing and tracing protocols for staff and students, as well recommended CDC protocols being followed. Despite CDC Director Rochelle Walensky saying that it is not necessary for all teachers to be vaccinated before returning to the classroom, Beutner is working toward that goal, saying:
“We know a critical part of re-opening school classrooms will be creating the safest possible school environment. And that includes providing vaccinations to all who work in schools.”
The editorial also addresses the all-powerful teachers union in Los Angeles:
It’s not easy to go against UTLA…But at this point, the superintendent needs to put on his big-boy pants, reopen schools and demand that teachers return or risk their jobs. Union leaders in turn need to realize that not only are students done a tremendous disservice by the continued closures, but most parents vehemently want their kids back in the classroom. The union is jeopardizing its own popularity if it continues to put the needs of students and families last.
Yesterday, Politico published a report about California’s Gov. Newsom’s efforts to get the state’s schools re-opened for in-person learning:
Gov. Gavin Newsom conceded Tuesday that he has not yet struck a school reopening deal with legislators and school groups after having said it could arrive last week.
“We are making progress and it is stubborn, the negotiation, and we continue to negotiate,” Newsom said, adding that “on schools, we still have more work to do.”
…
“We need to get our schools safely reopened for kindergarten through sixth grade. We can do that safely,” he said on Tuesday.
The sticking point:
Vaccinations remain a key stumbling block. Teachers unions have fought for educators to have access to vaccines as a precondition for in-person learning. Newsom has argued that goal is unrealistic given finite supply and has pointed to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance saying it is safe for schools to reopen prior to full staff inoculation.
To be clear, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Rochelle Walensky:
“I’m a strong advocate of teachers receiving their vaccinations, but we don’t believe it’s a prerequisite for reopening schools,” Walensky said, adding that CDC guidance stipulated that states should allow those at higher risk of serious COVID-19 infections to remain home for virtual learning until they can be vaccinated.
“We have in the guidance clear language that specifies that teachers that are at higher risk…teachers and students that are higher risk, and their families, should have options for virtual activities, virtual learning, virtual teaching,” she said.
And from Kim Anderson, head of the National Education Association:
Educators are no different [from other front-line workers], and educators need to be prioritized, not only so that we can get safely back to in-person learning as quickly as possible, but so we can see students and thus, their families, safe as well.
You can read a round-up of President Biden and his administration’s varying statements on re-opening of schools here.
I’ve come to believe that the ubiquitous catchphrase “follow the science” is little more than a political football that both sides of the aisle regularly deploy when they want to sound authoritative about their current flavor-of-the-week cause and reject when it doesn’t further their purposes. And because there is always a human element and vested interest involved with the “science,” the phrase is diminished to where it has little meaning or impact on the populace.
–Dana
Hello.
Dana (fd537d) — 2/17/2021 @ 12:21 pmHere in the Bluegrass State, something like 160 out of 171 public school districts have been open for in-person classes, but Fayette County (Lexington), the Commonwealth’s second largest, is not. They were, supposedly, going to reopen today, for K through 2, but the ice storms prevented that. And now they’re claiming a shortage of school bus drivers and cafeteria workers.
Yet somehow, some way, the private and parochial schools managed to open.
The dumbest thing? After Governor Andy Beshear (D-KY) ordered all the schools closed before Thanksgiving, he allowed the state high school football playoffs to continue. You aren’t wearing a medical facemask when you play football, and ‘social distancing’ doesn’t happen.
Fayette County schools, still closed to in-person instruction, ’cause it’s too dangerous, are playing basketball now.
The Dana in Kentucky (c3b452) — 2/17/2021 @ 12:30 pmI don’t know about Kentucky, but in California, K-5 schools in populated areas have around 26-30 students per class, with a 700-800 student body population. When compared to private school populations, it poses a much bigger obstacle with regard to social distancing and classroom size.
Dana (fd537d) — 2/17/2021 @ 12:39 pmThe much nicer Dana wrote:
At least in the parochial schools my daughters attended, in Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania, the class sizes were larger, and the classrooms no bigger. In Delaware, where the good people of Wilmington/New Castle County, including one Joseph R Biden,¹ pretty much destroyed the public schools rather than comply with a judge’s desegregation order, and the private schools were not just full, but had waiting lists as well.
The Dana in Kentucky (c3b452) — 2/17/2021 @ 12:49 pm_____________________________________
¹ – Yet Mr Biden’s own children weren’t in the public schools, but attended tony Archmere Academy, his alma mater.
It’s amazing what a change of scenery in the White House will do…
Hoi Polloi (15cfac) — 2/17/2021 @ 12:55 pm1. Kids are gross, class rooms aren’t sanitary, and teachers usually get sick the beginning of every school year. I understand their concern.
Time123 (457a1d) — 2/17/2021 @ 12:58 pm2. We need to get schools open asap.
Beutner and UTLA probably negotiated and signed an MOU last summer or fall when the conditions were different and now he has to renegotiate it if he wants to reopen, so he probably can’t give any dates to reopen yet.
If they fire the teachers they won’t be able to fill the positions. I’m not kidding. There are not enough certified teachers in CA to fill the current open positions. We have several staff on intern credentials (must be in a program and credential within 2 years) because we couldn’t find a certified teacher to take the position and it’s even hard to fill paraprofessional positions sometimes.
The vaccinations are in fact the stumbling block. Put a vaccine in my staff’s arm and they’d be willing to have kids back in their classrooms on Monday.
Nic (896fdf) — 2/17/2021 @ 1:02 pmIn cities with elected school boards, as opposed to, say, mayoral control, it is much much harder to get schools reopened.
The elections apparently have mostly people voting who are interested in the outcome, and aware of the candidates, or who believe people who are interested in the outcome. Too little money is probably spent on these campaigns.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/14/us/chicago-mayor-lori-lightfoot-on-what-she-learned-from-battling-the-teachers-union.html
She sounds like a Republican, doesn’t she? Or is she a “liberal with sanity?” Partial sanity anyway.
Sammy Finkelman (00fff5) — 2/17/2021 @ 1:05 pmActually she clearly anti-Trump, and kind to Biden, but what she says about the teacher’s union, Bob Dole probably would not say!
Sammy Finkelman (00fff5) — 2/17/2021 @ 1:18 pmI think some enterprising Stanford student needs to crowdfunded a business to sell torches and pitchforks
frosty (f27e97) — 2/17/2021 @ 1:57 pmI read the LAUSD is also going to cut the school security foce by 1/3rd and give the money to
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 2/17/2021 @ 6:00 pmpolitical consultantsimprove Black equality. What does the Times have to say about that?As someone who believes that the “science” should be followed I am amazed at the number of times that label is applied to any-old thing. The people using it tend not to have a clue what “science” is, anyway.
If you tell me that “science” says that water flows uphill, my answer will be “No, it doesn’t” and “Show your work.” But reporters usually just nod.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 2/17/2021 @ 6:06 pmNic (896fdf) — 2/17/2021 @ 1:02 pm
If my googling is working it looks like there are ~250k CA teachers and ~125k/d vaccines. So, just bump teachers to the front of the line and you guys can open schools next Monday?
frosty (f27e97) — 2/17/2021 @ 6:38 pm@13 Assuming the state virus levels allow 2ndary (I think we are clear or almost clear at the state level for elementary) to open and there’s enough vaccine available, schoolboard, etc etc, probably yes (the teachers would have to vote on a new MOU, but they are also currently in the middle of negotiations for that and being vaccinated would change the odds there).
It wouldn’t be a 100% open because the kids still aren’t in the clear and we still have about 1/3 of our parents who aren’t willing to send their kids but partial opening would be totally doable.
We’ve had a plan in place since August, the original MOU was signed in Oct(?). We were originally supposed to open up elementary in Nov until everyone had to do Halloween and then Thanksgiving and then Xmas and the virus levels went up and up and up.
Nic (896fdf) — 2/17/2021 @ 7:34 pmNic (896fdf) — 2/17/2021 @ 7:34 pm
So, vaccinating teachers isn’t “the” stumbling block. A stumbling block seems to be the kids and I think a vaccine for them isn’t expected until the fall. What it sounds like is all of the negotiations are smoke and mirrors to avoid making it clear that kids aren’t going back to school anytime soon. Those goalposts keep moving.
But the science says kids aren’t really at risk, if you vaccinated the teachers they wouldn’t be at risk, and aren’t kids in CA required to go to school? When did “aren’t willing” become a thing? Most of that 1/3 probably don’t vote and even if all of them did that’s not enough to move an election right? Didn’t we already have another discussion about how a simple majority confers absolute authority?
frosty (f27e97) — 2/17/2021 @ 8:15 pm@15 The parents elect the school board and 1/3 one way or another is definitely enough to move a local level election. The School board has opted to continue distance learning for students whose parents don’t want to send them in person.
“aren’t kids in CA required to go to school” They aren’t required to attend in person school, no. CA has a pretty broad school choice system that includes home school, California Virtual Academy, CA k-12, and a variety of online Charter choices. CAVA and K-12 are both virtual programs as well. Districts would rather not lose students to those programs (which are terrible).
Nic (896fdf) — 2/17/2021 @ 8:56 pmI wonder how much of the reluctance of the union to reopen schools can be attributed to ongoing bitterness and resentment that voters in Los Angeles refused to pass the parcel tax needed to fund the irresponsible salary hikes the UTLA were granted after going on strike a couple of years ago, and bitterness and resentment that voters in the state this past November refused to modify Prop 13 with a split-roll to raise more tax revenue for schools. I don’t think that it can all be attributed to the failure of those tax measures to pass, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if UTLA isn’t trying to make voters feel a little bit of pain out of pure spite. It would be totally in character for that particular crew.
JVW (ee64e4) — 2/17/2021 @ 9:24 pmMr Finkelman wrote:
It’s different when they are defying her, and not acting up in some other city, isn’t it?
The teachers union in foul, fetid, fuming, foggy, filthy Philadelphia keeps finding reason after reason to not go back to school.
The Dana in Kentucky (c3b452) — 2/18/2021 @ 2:05 amMr Snowman wrote:
Except, of course, the vaccination process takes two shots, 21 days apart for the Pfizer vaccine, and 28 days apart for the Moderna. Bump the teachers to the head of the line, and you can, in theory, open the schools on Monday, March 15tth or 22nd, or right at a year after they were first closed down.
Joltin’ Joe Biden said that the schools would all be opened after his first 100 days . . . which would be April 30th.
We might as well tell the truth here: the entire academic year has been lost
The Dana in Kentucky (c3b452) — 2/18/2021 @ 2:12 amMr Snowman wrote:
The Bluegrass State has, alas! the nation’s highest percentage of children being reared by their grandparents — one of the reasons that, despite my mostly libertarian philosophy, I absotively, posilutely oppose the legalization of recreational drugs — and the elderly are more susceptible to COVID-19. Kids mostly just throw off the virus, with few if any symptoms, but they can still carry it, and in Kentucky that’s a big risk.
Due to my age, 67, I’m classified as Tier 1C, and the local health department says that I am “on the list” to receive the vaccination, but they can’t tell me when that will actually happen.
The Dana in Kentucky (c3b452) — 2/18/2021 @ 2:19 amMy kids school system has a hybrid approach. Two of my kids are back in seats, and two are not. I really think that local control is probably best in most cases. The school system and local community have the best idea of what their challenges are (you listed one that’s new to me) and what resources they have to deal with them.
It seems like the big conflicts are in the large urban areas. Might be powerful unions and that the politics gets larger. Might be they have legitimate concerns. I don’t know.
But if someone told me that my tax bill next year would have a 1 time 10% educational surcharge because we needed to help children whose education was impacted by Covid I know I’d be receptive. If they further told me that it would be going in large part to lower income kids and schools that would make sense to me.
Time123 (ae9d89) — 2/18/2021 @ 5:16 am19. The Dana in Kentucky (c3b452) — 2/18/2021 @ 2:12 am
Exept that of course, it really doesn;t. The Pfizer vaccine is quite good with only the first dose. And the longer you delay the second dose, the greater (r faster) the immunity will be.
Dr. Fauci agrees that it could very well be true that they should not give people a second dose so long as there is sort supply but he says that by the time they finished the studies they’d have enough vaccine anyway, so he doesn’t agree that the second doses should be delayed.
https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meet-press-february-07-2021-n1256967
Science! Or rather, nonsense.
Only in regular public schools in places with strong teacher’s unions and elected school boards where teachers’ unions back candidates.
.
Sammy Finkelman (7e803d) — 2/18/2021 @ 6:07 amThe teachers are in the same boat we all are. Left high and dry by worthless government leeches and circled by an ignorant and demanding rabble.
nk (1d9030) — 2/18/2021 @ 6:29 amTime123 (ae9d89) — 2/18/2021 @ 5:16 am
I’ve got these really valuable wooden nickels that I’m willing to exchange 1 for 1 for whatever regular nickels you can get your hands on. This is a limited time thing though and I don’t have a lot so don’t tell anyone. Also, I’ve got some beautiful beachfront land in Louisiana that I need to sell and I’d be willing to give you a deal.
frosty (f27e97) — 2/18/2021 @ 11:10 amHow do you like this story?
A person moved to State Island and started crossing the Verrazano Bridge every day. There is a discount for EZ Pass. It always used to work and was taken out of her bank account and she paid no attention. The cameras for some reason were not reading it. But they did capture the license plates.
She didn’t get or missed the bills. So she was charged $19 a day plus a $100 penalty for each crossing – $119 per day. When she called it was suggested she drove too fast or she drove too slow, and eventually I think that the EZ Pass was not attached properly. She had had EZ Pass with no problems since 2005.
This was for the month of February, 2020. When she got a new car and changed her address everything was working perfectly again. The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority sent it to a collection agency and billed $3,300 or something. When she called the person she talked to someone that person spoke to a supervisor and offered to cut it in half. But that was still way too much. She sent them a check for what she was calculated she should pay – $1224.00? but they rejected it owing to the “language.”
Sammy Finkelman (86c6e0) — 2/18/2021 @ 11:47 amBut if someone told me that my tax bill next year would have a 1 time 10% educational surcharge because we needed to help children whose education was impacted by Covid I know I’d be receptive. If they further told me that it would be going in large part to lower income kids and schools that would make sense to me.
And if every dime went to the pensions of administrators and to pay for junkets for the school board, would you be terribly surprised?
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 2/18/2021 @ 12:00 pmSimple fix. Get rid of the idiotic “certification” requirement and teaching degrees. Hire people with professional experience. Require teachers to show up for work. School opens Monday.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/18/2021 @ 2:17 pmGet rid of the idiotic “certification” requirement and teaching degrees.
Those are the guild requirements that the unions demand. We cannot have this anarchy.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 2/18/2021 @ 4:25 pmI know Kevin. They are garbage restrictions to prevent qualified people from holding jobs who aren’t part of the “guild.” They don’t want educated, qualified people. They want drones.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/18/2021 @ 4:44 pm@27 You can teach if you have a bachelor’s degree and professional experience and go through an alternative credentialing program (usually a district internship). Very few people choose to do so.
@28 “guild requirements that the unions demand” *laughs and laughs* No. Certification of some kind has been required since the 1800s and the teachers aren’t the ones making the requirements higher and higher.
Nic (896fdf) — 2/18/2021 @ 8:08 pmBut if someone told me that my tax bill next year would have a 1 time 10% educational surcharge because we needed to help children whose education was impacted by Covid I know I’d be receptive. If they further told me that it would be going in large part to lower income kids and schools that would make sense to me.
Well, not to be too provocative but imagine if whatever agency administered this program (county, city, etc.) said that you could either pay the 10% educational surcharge to the government for use at public schools, or you could be given a waiver if you could show that you donated a commensurate amount to an accredited private school of your choice in that same jurisdiction. Wouldn’t that be a really interesting experience to see where the money ends up?
JVW (ee64e4) — 2/18/2021 @ 8:49 pmHey Nic, how about your representatives in Oakley California. They did a good job of showing how the left really thinks. Ready to go back to babysitting yet or are you joining up to kick some butt?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 2/18/2021 @ 9:14 pm@NJRob@32 Assuming I have figured out what you are referencing, the people talking were the School Board members, not the staff. I probably shouldn’t need to remind you at this point that being a member of the school board is an elected position. They aren’t staff members.
As far as me personally, apparently I will need to remind you that I am still working. We are all still working. The job doesn’t go away just because the kids aren’t on-site. A lot of what I am personally doing is the same kinds of transition to next year stuff that I do every year starting in December. Data input, paperwork, planning, meetings, student counts, staff counts, and demographic data are all pretty much the same job regardless of whether students are on campus or not. It’s just more by zoom than it used to be.
You know, generally speaking, I have been perfectly happy to talk about what the reality of the education system looks like and I have not been particularly reticent to talk about the stupid or ridiculous things, but I also tend not to let misconceptions slide by either. I am not singling you out for some reason or another, you just bring far too many misconceptions to the table.
Nic (896fdf) — 2/18/2021 @ 11:06 pmMr M wrote:
In the Bluegrass State, teachers do not pay into Social Security, and their retirements are paid for by a similar, state-based Kentucky Retirement System. The problem has been that the state has shortchanged the amount it had been paying into the system for years and years and years. The last Governor, Matt Bevin, a republican, tried to fix the system, but, Heaven forfend! it would have cost the teachers more money.
So, the teachers mobilized — “A Promise is a Promise!” — and managed, by just 5,000 votes, to defeat Governor Bevin in the 2019 election. Pension system didn’t get fixed, of course, and we got a wannabe dictator in the obnoxious Andy Beshear.
Of course, Mr Bevin was kind of an [insert slang term for the rectum here], in a way not dissimilar to the 45th President of the United States, which didn’t help him much, but sometimes an [insert slang term for the rectum here] is what we need to get [insert slang term for feces here] done.
Political conservatism is really not for nice guys; political conservatism requires having the attitude that you can, and will, tell people, “No!”
The Dana in Kentucky (c3b452) — 2/19/2021 @ 5:17 amI’d for sure prefer to use my money on my kids. I think anyone would. From what I’ve read the bigger problems are with urban, rural, and lower income areas. Also, 10% of my income doesn’t pay for 4 kids to go to private school.
Time123 (d1bf33) — 2/19/2021 @ 6:11 amWe have too many [insert slang term for the rectum here] and not enough getting things done in general.
Time123 (d1bf33) — 2/19/2021 @ 6:15 amTime123 (d1bf33) — 2/19/2021 @ 6:11 am
I don’t think it was meant to. I think it was just the idea that if you wanted to contribute you could more directly choose where that 10% went instead of it going into the state government, who takes a cut, then down to the county, who also takes a cut, and then into a large school district with a less than stellar reputation for fiduciary responsibility, before some of it is allocated to improving kids education. Even if it goes directly from the state to the school district some is skimmed away as the angels share.
I think the takeaway was
frosty (f27e97) — 2/19/2021 @ 6:39 amI assume the implication was that people would prefer to put their kids in private school. Which I get. I turned down a job once because the public schools in the area were poor and I couldn’t afford private school with the number of kids I have.
But you might be right about the intent.
Time123 (d1bf33) — 2/19/2021 @ 6:50 amTime123 (d1bf33) — 2/19/2021 @ 6:50 am
This is one of the arguments for a voucher based system. All schools should be “private” and all parents should be able to choose.
frosty (f27e97) — 2/19/2021 @ 7:13 amIf you have to accept all students you’re not private.
If you can pick and choose students parents don’t get to chose.
either way the devil is in the details.
Time123 (d1bf33) — 2/19/2021 @ 7:22 amTime123 (d1bf33) — 2/19/2021 @ 7:22 am
Ok, but that has nothing to do with vouchers. And honestly I’m not sure what this “not private” designation is. A “private” business that serves the public isn’t “not private”. I can’t speak for other districts but in my district the public school system can decide it doesn’t want to accept a student for several reasons. Are you now thinking those are now “not public”?
This is just schematics. If both parties can choose to enter into a transaction then both have a choice. At the end of the day that’s still far more choice than paying taxes for the public system and having to pay again for something else.
Yea, I think you’re just arguing for no reason on this one. What’s your endgame? Just keep funneling money into “public” schools and ignore the problems?
frosty (f27e97) — 2/19/2021 @ 7:50 am@41, Frosty, my point is that a lot of the discrepancy in outcomes between public schools, charter schools, and private schools, go away when you adjust for the fact that public schools aren’t able to be selective.
Time123 (ae9d89) — 2/19/2021 @ 8:53 amAre you currently a beach person? Someone who feels the world’s stress melts away when you are gazing into emerald waters while standing sugar sand? Someone who constantly looks for the hotel that is directly on the beach, instead of across the street from the beach? Have you got Google flight alerts set for every tropical beach you adore? If you answered yes to some or all these, your next vacation should probably incorporate an overwater bungalow. My friend, is as near as you can get to the water — on top of it. And when you feel like getting in for a dip, all you have to do is step outside your door. Or back door leading to the patio.
So why should you consider a honeymoon in barbados with an overwater bungalow and what should you expect? We will dive into the details here of our favourite Sandals over the water bungalow experiences that are sure to become your #1 favorite vacation destination. It’s the type of vacation that leaves you wondering how every other holiday could compare to this one (in a fantastic way).
Why you need an overwater bungalow
Vanetravel (d7ad6b) — 2/19/2021 @ 9:28 amConsidering that the tropical paradise of both Jamaica and St. Lucia, we are already swooning over holidays in these places and the resorts only make the deal even sweeter. Honeymoon, anniversary trip, women week away, or as a participation trip — we adore these bungalows for so many events.
Mr 123 wrote:
If private schools couldn’t be selective, why would anyone choose private schools?
Parents choose private schools for all sorts of reasons, but underneath all of them is that they anticipate a better outcome for their children.
My daughters started out in public school, but when my older daughter finished the fifth grade, at very decent Frances Asbury School in Hampton, Virginia, she would have been assigned to Lois Spratley Middle School, which happened to have the highest number of student cases referred to the police of any school in the Hampton Roads area.
Thank you, but no; St Mary Star of the Sea School was the better choice, and since we were sending the older one there, might as well send the younger one, too.
Career move, to Wilmington, Delaware, and not only had the good people of New Castle County practically destroyed the public schools, but my younger daughter would have been bused into the center of combat-zone Wilmington. Nope, sorry, I’d rather pay for Corpus Christi School.
The Dana in Kentucky (c3b452) — 2/19/2021 @ 1:42 pmIn the meantime, the New York Post has reported that Janice Min has withdrawn from consideration to become new Editor-in-Chief of what our esteemed host used to call the Los Angeles Dog Trainer, after The Wall Street Journal reported that owner Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong is looking to unload the money-losing newspaper.
The Dana in Kentucky (c3b452) — 2/19/2021 @ 6:22 pmProle World problems.
And public schools are in fact selective, and I ain’t talkin only ’bout them there mag-net schools like the one I went to in Chicago where you got to score yay-high on a test to get in. I’m also talking about where your parents select to live and that school district’s residency requirements; “honor” classes for kids who can learn as opposed to the “regular” classes for kids who can’t or don’t want to; “special” education classes and even schools for a very, very wide range of “learning disabilities; and all other kinds of neat things like that to sort the wheat from the chaff.
nk (1d9030) — 2/19/2021 @ 7:21 pmTime123 (ae9d89) — 2/19/2021 @ 8:53 am
We were talking about vouchers and parents having more control over the money directed towards education. I don’t know what you’re talking about at this point. Giving public schools greater ability to be selective and the tax revenue tips the scales even more towards public schools.
In that scenario the discrepancy gets worse because public schools could just refuse all low performing students and those parents would have to pay taxes and private school costs. A lot of those parents would only be able to afford the most inexpensive option which would likely be a poorer quality school.
I’m still not following your anti-voucher anti-private school reasoning.
frosty (f27e97) — 2/20/2021 @ 6:28 amFrom little acorns …. https://ktla.com/news/california/entire-bay-area-school-board-resigns-after-making-disparaging-comments-about-parents-without-realizing-meeting-was-being-broadcast/
nk (1d9030) — 2/20/2021 @ 5:33 pmThere was a letter in the Wall Street Journal on Thursday whose headline said that the L.A teachers Union was disingenuous on Covid – but actually it talked about the Los Angeles Unified School District.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/l-a-teachers-union-is-disingenuous-on-covid-11613589077
Seems like it claimed it might require students to be vaccinated.
Now vaccination for children 12-15 are going through clinical trials, but it is a minimum of months till it could be approved, and that’s mot certain, and there’s no pediatric clinical trial going on for children under 12.
So to say that you might require children to be vaccinated in order to attend in person classes is equivalent to saying there will be no in-person learning for children under 16.
But that may be what the teachers union is asking for.
This letter was responding to this article:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-universal-vaccination-chimera-11612466130
which included this paragraph:
Sammy Finkelman (1e81da) — 2/20/2021 @ 7:23 pmThe Los Angeles school board has cancelled, for the time being, its cancellation project. They are at least going to wait until the LA public schools are open before proceeding further. It indicated that this process was started in 2018, and proceeded on schedule regardless of the pandemic.
Sammy Finkelman (c95a5a) — 2/24/2021 @ 11:43 am