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Projects
Projects
Rally to Reopen Davis Schools - Feb 6, 2021
Rally to Reopen Davis Schools - Feb 6, 2021
Our Rally to Reopen Davis Schools will be held on Feb 6th at 10:00, on the corner of 5th and B streets in downtown Davis (near the Farmer's Market).
The idea behind the rally is to occupy all four corners of the intersection, and show support for reopening schools in line with Federal, State and County recommendations. The rally is timed to coincide with multiple other developments, to include:
1) An article in the Sacramento Bee which will be released shortly after the rally, expected to be critical of the board's reopening requirements
2) A rally on Tuesday, Feb 2nd, by the EGUSD Parent Coalition, advocating to reopen schools (it was covered in local media - our rally will help keep the issue in front of the local audience)
3) Simultaneous rallies on Saturday, Feb 6th, in San Francisco and Berkeley
4) Yolo County having met the case rate prescribed by the CA Dept. of Public Health for reopening grades K-6 (<25 cases per 100k residents; as of Tuesday, Feb 2nd, Yolo was at 18.8 cases....the board is requiring we be at 7 cases or less)
5) A "strong recommendation" by the Yolo County Public Health Officer that grades K-6 reopen (made to the Woodland School Board on Thursday, Jan 28th - she is said to appear in the Sacramento Bee article, above, and reiterate that stance, which will be a big help for us)
6) The Wednesday, Feb 3rd CDC announcement, echoed by Governor Newsom, that vaccines were not considered a prerequisite to safely reopen schools (though the board has required them for DJUSD)
The rally is expected to draw a large media presence. We have identified our talking points and speakers, but if you are interested, let us know! You do NOT have to talk to any media unless you wish to. If, however, you do, here are the five main points to keep in mind:
1) We are simply asking for the Board of Trustees to listen to, and then follow, the recommendations of the CDC, CA Department of Public Health and Yolo County Public Health Officer rather than inventing their own reopening requirements
2) We believe we can safely return both students AND staff to schools following basic mitigation strategies. We believe that's in the best interest of our children and community to do so
3) We do not want to force anyone back that doesn't want to go, and believe the district can carve out exemptions for higher-risk staff. We're just asking for the option to send our own children back
4) We do not endorse having children speak to the media. If you want to , that is your decision, and you are free to do so - our group's viewpoint, though, is that we won't use children to make our point
5) Do NOT imply that you represent your employer. Make sure you are not wearing clothing that identifies your employer. You could get into trouble with them if you appear to speak on their behalf, though just speaking as a private citizen should not cause any issues.
We are asking for just 90 minutes of your time! 10:00-11:30...that's all it will take to make a powerful statement! Masks and social distancing are required. If you haven't done this type of ting before....join the club! Many of us have never done something like this. Some have extensive experience. We all have one thing in common: a belief that schools can safely reopen with basic mitigation measures, and that doing so is in our children's and community's best interest.
Our 'trial runs' of gathering and holding up signs have proven to be very successful...and to be honest, it felt good to have our voices heard! There appears to be much more support out there than one might otherwise believe from reading social media!
Here are a few things you can do:
1) Make a sign! Keep it respectable and friendly, but get the message across. Some ideas for slogans include (all slogans are based on leading science, and accurately represent recommendations by experts and govt. bodies):
a) Listen to Dr. Sisson!
b) CDC says: time for ABC's!
c) Education is Essential!
d) We love teachers, school and science!
e) Facts, not Fear!
f) Safer in Person!
g) Classrooms, not Zoom Rooms
h) Fauci says it's time for school (with masks)!
i) Education is Fundamental
j) Masked Teachers + Masked Students = Safe Schools
2) Bring sidewalk chalk, and write a few messages on the sidewalk. Mark your own driveway. The tag "#OpenSchools" is being used on Twitter to promote this cause, and is readily identifiable with our goals....but get creative!
3) Tell your neighbors or family who may not know about us. Public opinion is changing rapidly -
Finally, a few rules and tips for the rally:
1) No politics. This is about reopening schools ONLY - please don't wear any clothing that promotes politics, either
(NOTE: This movement is bi-partisan, though, perhaps surprisingly to some, it's mostly made up of progressives and liberals. There are conservatives, as well - it's a JOY to watch them come together on this issue and put away the politics! Take the chance to get to know your neighbors!)
2) No badmouthing teachers or unions. Many of us are frustrated with that aspect, but in reality the local teachers and union have not taken a stance on this issue, so there is nothing to point to or disagree with in that regard. We need our teachers, and being cast as 'anti-teacher' hurts the public's opinion of us - and by extension, our goal
3) Do NOT block sidewalks or go into the street
4) Do NOT go into the Farmer's Market. It is considered private property
5) Don't engage in arguments. Our trial runs have been civil. Some may ask you about your beliefs...just be polite. If they become aggressive, walk away - we will look out for each other!
6) Don't attempt to engage pedestrians in debate. If they want to ask a question, let them initiate the conversation. Handouts will be provided on the corner of every intersection for anyone who asks - you can direct them that way.
7) Be friendly. Wave at cars - especially the ones that honk in support! Encourage big trucks to honk. Smile (underneath your mask)! You'll be surprised at how liberating it is to be able to have your voice heard!
8) Don't wear any clothing that can be tied to your employer, or attempt to speak on your employer's behalf. Most companies will allow you to participate in this kind of activity (even the restrictive military allows this), as long as you do not act as a representative of that company
9) Wear comfortable clothing and shoes
10) Masks and social distancing are required
11) Try to arrive a few minutes early for parking. Media are expecting the event to begin at 10:00 - we want to be sure we have plenty of people to show support!
We look forward to seeing you there! This is your chance to take a stand for your children and community - and it only takes 90 minutes. Come out and make sure your voice is heard!
Current Projects
Current Projects
Current signature campaign to DJUSD school board. Deadline to sign before submission was 11/17/2020 at 5pm, but we are continuing to gather signatures, as it may prove useful in the future.
Currently engaging with the DJUSD Superintendent's Advisory Committee
Currently finding and coordinating with similar parent groups nation-wide (#OpenSchools and #SaferAtSchool are the Twitter handles for this effort)
Current parent, teacher, community PUBLIC COMMENT for school board meetings. Deadline for PUBLIC COMMENT 6pm the day before the meeting, unless otherwise stated by DJUSD. (See below for instructions on sending a letter to the board to ensure your voice is heard)
Current or former student PUBLIC COMMENT campaign to school board. Have your student lend their voice to how distance learning is working for them. Deadline for PUBLIC COMMENT 6pm unless otherwise stated by DJUSD. (See link below to send a letter to the board)
Current campaign to support AB10, legislative action to require all CA districts to plan for in-person learning options within two weeks of entering the red or lower tier.
Monitoring BROWN ACT violations. The Brown Act requires that govt. agencies open their meetings to public comment; DJUSD was not in compliance during Covid restrictions, as they simply attached e-mails from the public to meeting minutes without reading them. We engaged the board, as of the 11/19/20 board meeting, they began to read public comments aloud, coming into compliance. We continue to monitor the situation
Offer by one of our resident physicians w/MA in public health (epidemiology focus) to discuss COVID-19 mitigation strategies with the school board and labor negotiating committees.
Planning for/refining other actions; we hope these will not be needed, but we will be prepared should they become necessary
Future Projects
Future Projects
Maintain contact with relevant stakeholders to examine current reopening plans
Examine current DJUSD COVID-19 response actions and budget
Begin to align reopening plans with the recommendations of experts using science-based metrics
Engaging local and national media
Engaging local and state government
Expanding local outreach
Demonstrations of Solidarity
What You Can Do
What You Can Do
Community engagement is critical to the success of our campaign. We encourage you to get involved wherever possible - your voice is important! There are several ways to make sure your voice is heard -
Join Us!
Join Us!
You can join our coalition to receive e-mail updates on our positions, our progress and any news regarding our efforts to provide in-person learning options. You can also follow us on Facebook or Twitter. At the bottom of all our pages, you'll find buttons to do all three. We look forward to hearing your voice!
Let DJUSD Hear Your Voice!
Let DJUSD Hear Your Voice!
At each DJUSD Board of Trustees meeting, public comment is heard. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this takes the form of letters e-mailed to the board, which are then read aloud and attached to the meeting minutes.
You can send a letter using the button below, or by sending an email to boe@djusd.net. Please ensure you write "PUBLIC COMMENT" in the subject line. Make sure your voice is heard!
Example letters are shown below the link to the board, if needed - but here are some topics you may want to consider to get you started:
Example letters are shown below the link to the board, if needed - but here are some topics you may want to consider to get you started:
The most recent survey indicated that 60% of parents want some kind of in-person school. What steps are you taking to make that happen?
Why were we unable to execute a plan to start in-person schooling while we were in a tier that allowed us to, for over a month?
Since we were allowed to reopen for over a month, but made very little progress, why should we believe that your plan will succeed when local health conditions stabilize?
What are you doing to convince teachers that in-person school can be accomplished safely/make them feel comfortable to return?
Why are districts all over the country, and the world, reopening despite surging cases, but we don’t seem to be able to?
The most recent survey seems heavily skewed toward not reopening; in a specific instance, one of the key takeaways manipulated data to present the idea that most want distance learning, when the opposite is true. How can we trust that you are actually trying to reopen?
How are you using this time while we are in the purple tier to plan for immediate action toward reopening once we are in the red tier?
Now that public health experts from all levels of government, from Dr. Anthony Fauci to the CDC, all the way to the Yolo County Public Health Officer, have stated they believe campuses can and should be open, what is DJUSD doing to immediately pursue a policy aligned with this guidance?
On Nov 19th, the board heard from the Yolo County Public Health Officer, Dr. Aimee Sisson, the following evidence (skip to 51:00 for the comments):
"They (other public health officers in CA) haven't seen a big difference in the number of cases in students who are participating in distance learning versus students who are learning in person, and there is very little to no evidence of transmission in schools themselves."
The fear of surge in cases and outbreaks in schools has not happened, and it appears that schools and children and staff can return relatively safely to an on campus learning environment."
"On the whole, what evidence there is, again, suggests that students and staff are able, when proper precautions are taken, that they can return to school in a relatively safe manner in person"
Given this evidence, what is the DJUSD doing to return to an on-campus learning environment?
UNICEF has warned that "the future of an entire generation of kids is at risk”, issuing a report which found “no consistent association between school reopening status and COVID-19 infection rates”. How is DJUSD prioritizing our children's future?
NY Governor Cuomo joined the governors of NJ, PA, DE, CT, MA and RI in issuing a statement that "Medical research as well as the data from the Northeastern states, from across the country, and from around the world make clear that in-person learning is safe when the appropriate protections are in place, even in communities with high transmission rates. In-person learning is the best possible scenario for children, especially those with special needs and from low-income families. There is also growing evidence that the more time children spend outside of school increases the risk of mental health harm and affects their ability to truly learn”. How are we ignoring this evidence when we choose to keep our schools closed?
Once Yolo Co is cleared by the state to re-open (red tier for two weeks) how long will it take for in-person K-12 to begin?
Example Letters to the DJUSD Board
Example Letters to the DJUSD Board
Members of the Board,
Thank you for your service in such a difficult time. I realize it is no easy task, given the circumstances we find ourselves in.
Nevertheless, I’m writing to encourage you to embrace the science of this pandemic, which now overwhelmingly points to the idea that schools can reopen safely. On Nov 29th, 2020, Dr. Anthony Fauci stated:
“If you look at the Data, (the spread of COVID-19) among children and from children is not really very big at all. Not like one would have suspected”.
He further elaborated, saying “…close the bars and keep the schools open is what we really say”.
This echoes the findings of study after study. On Nov 19th, UNICEF warned that “the future of an entire generation of kids is at risk”, issuing a report which found “no consistent association between school reopening status and COVID-19 infection rates”
Governments around the world are taking action. Though much slower to act, in the US, Governor Cuomo joined the governors of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island in issuing a statement on November 19th:
“Medical research as well as the data from the Northeastern states, from across the country, and from around the world make clear that in-person learning is safe when the appropriate protections are in place, even in communities with high transmission rates. In-person learning is the best possible scenario for children, especially those with special needs and from low-income families. There is also growing evidence that the more time children spend outside of school increases the risk of mental health harm and affects their ability to truly learn”
Given the rising tide of evidence and support for in-person school, I am asking that the board take swift action to return our children to in-person learning. This will require bold leadership and decisive action, and I trust that you will stand up for the best interest of our children in reopening DJUSD schools as soon as the county returns to the red tier. Each day that we delay is detrimental to the well being of our children, our families and our community as a whole.
Regards,
Jane Doe
Parent of two DJUSD Students
Dear DJUSD,
It’s time to end the school closures and the continued denial of science. Dr. Fauci and the CDC are recommending schools be open. This is due to the harm being done to children, the particular harm being done to families of low resources, and due to the fact that we have learned that children aren’t spreading the virus at schools. You all know this by now. It is time to serve the children and families of Davis by following the current known science of COVID-19 that shows schools should be open.
Who is the DJUSD to deny the science behind COVID-19? What experts on the board do you have that have earned the credibility to override Dr. Fauci’s and the CDC’s recommendations? Report to the public what research you are following that justifies our school closures, because current research and data shows that schools should be open. This is exactly why Dr. Fauci and the CDC recommend re-opening.
Who on the DJUSD board knows better than them?
In the recent study, “Infection and transmission of COVID-19 among students and teachers in schools in Japan after the reopening in June 2020” by Wada et al., published in September in BMJ Paediatrics Open, different ages of students in Japan between June 1 and July 31 demonstrated a zero percent transmission rate to teachers from students. Not five percent, not two percent, but zero percent.
In a recent investigation using a predictive model published in JAMA Network Open on November 12 of this year by Christakis et al., it was found that the loss in life expectancy was likely to be greater due to school closures than would have been observed if leaving primary schools open had led to an expansion of the first wave of the pandemic. This reinforces that school closures are causing more harm to the public than good. This particularly applies to elementary and middle schools.
These are just a few examples of the growing amounts of research supporting it is safe for teachers and students at schools, and that children are being harmed by closures. There is plenty more.
At some point, you lose credibility when too much science has been ignored. That point is rapidly approaching as other states open and more research has been released showing schools should be open, and as more experts recommend schools to open.
Open schools now, as science supports this. To do otherwise at this point highlights a continued refusal to follow the science, and that concern for the children is not at the forefront of decision making at the DJUSD.
Respectfully,
John Doe
Concerned parent of two
DJUSD:
I am the proud/happy father of two MME kids (2nd, kinder) and I wanted to give you some feedback on the state of affairs. I have also conveyed some of these points in the DJUSD survey, and would be happy to elaborate on anything as needed (email redacted).
First of all, we're so thrilled with the school and the staff. Our kids love their teachers and so do we - they are fantastic and we have come to expect nothing less from MME after having spent our son's kinder and 1st grade there. The effort, demeanor and commitment of the teachers and staff is remarkable.
Second, I want to say that if there is anything we can do to contribute to the MME community, please let us know.
Finally, we are keen to find a way to return to MME in person in some form or another just as soon as we can. We are a safe, COVID-compliant household that wears masks and washes hands. We have settled into the distance learning routine, but our kids (and as a consequence, we) are really struggling socially/emotionally. We have found ways to cope by enrolling the kids in various safe activities around town (i.e. swimming, Explorit camps). This limited social interaction has really helped the kids. More than that, though, it has demonstrated to us that there are some really good examples of how to return to some interaction in a safe and quasi-normal way. It's frustrating that we haven't seen any attempts similar to this made by DJUSD. It's likely that there has been activity behind the scenes that we don't see, but to be honest it feels like the district has committed to distance learning despite the societal circumstances (as indicated by the most recent e-mail).
Is there anything we can do (even if creative!) to contribute to some level of in-person engagement? Our kids are struggling, and our family is desperate for change. It feels like our voices are not being heard in a generic survey. So, I felt compelled to write in efforts to make sure that we are. It feels like we're waiting for the world to change rather than changing to the new world - I really don't want to feel that way in 6 more months if there isn't any positive news on treatments, vaccines, etc. If we don't see some effort to return to in-person school, I'm afraid we're going to have to explore other options for next fall, and that really pains me because of how much we love MME.
In conclusion, thanks again to you and your team for all your efforts in this extraordinary time. If there is anything we, as parents, can do to match your efforts - we welcome the challenge!
Sincerely,
John Doe
Good evening board:
Thank you for your leadership during these challenging times. We can all see and feel how challenging the situation is. We are all connected together to the desire to get our kids back to school. I have several comments:
1. I heard that emails submitted to the board for public comment are not read aloud, but only attached to the minutes. I feel strongly that input from all stakeholders should be heard out loud. Merely attaching an email to a digital copy of meeting minutes keeps varied voices silent and hidden. Please do not shut us out from being heard. I will listen to the next meeting to see for myself.
2. Being in school is as essential as getting groceries. Grocery stores figured out how to reduce risk for workers and shoppers. Schools can do the same. Outdoor classrooms, hybrid models. The data has proven that wearing face coverings prevents spread. You are letting sports teams meet (inside and outside) but not classes. Can’t classes be led the same way?
3. Perfect conditions will not exist. We can make progress as a district in getting our kids back in classrooms and make adjustments as needed. The 5 stage process is too vague. We need dates and specifics. Not providing sends a message that details either don’t exist (refusal to plan) or exist but can’t be communicated (failure to act responsibly and transparently).
Please communicate the plan on getting all students back into classrooms. You owe the school community this information.
Jane Doe
Parent of DHS Senior
Hello: I listened to the DHS Town Hall last week and was disappointed that no specifics were given on the plan to return students to school.
Students in counties all around us, and even at Saint James School in Davis are going back to school. Our county is in the red tier and can open schools.
The silence from leadership is shocking.
The lack of creative solutions (teach outside) and out of box thinking is confusing. Other schools are doing it. To not follow suit is to continue to harm our students educational and emotional progress each and every day.
So many people have been bashing the leadership and I have always supported the party line. I can’t do it anymore because I don’t understand the delays in getting our kids back to school.
Please include us in the conversations. Please be honest and specific with the plans so we can understand the situation. The Town Hall felt empty and flat. I always thought school leaders and parents were same team. I don’t feel that way anymore and it makes me sad to say it.
John Doe
Members of the Board,
I’m writing in the hopes that my comment will be considered. I appreciate that you face difficult choices, and do not envy you in this time of polarized decision making.
Nevertheless, I implore you to consider the children as your primary concern in making decisions about when to reopen in-person schooling. As Dr. Fauci has repeatedly gone on record to support reintroducing children to the classroom as soon as community transmission is controlled, I would argue that, having met the state’s tiered threshold to reopen schools, we have satisfied the “community transmission” consideration, and should follow Dr. Fauci’s recommendation as soon as possible - returning children to the classroom.
While almost every other Western Nation has returned their kids to classrooms - many despite a sharp uptick in Covid and many with similar or higher population adjusted mortality rates than we saw in the U.S., such as the U.K., Spain, France & Italy - we continue to delay. We do so at the expense of our children, as the preponderance of scientific evidence has shown. In those nations that have returned kids to school, despite surging Covid cases, each government has steadfastly refused to re-close the schools, citing ample evidence that schools are not driving the spread of the virus.
My children do not enjoy distance learning. They do not appear to benefit from it much, if at all. While my experience is anecdotal, it is shared by many, as I suspect you will find in other comments to the board.
I’m not asking for you to force all children back into the classroom. I’m simply asking that you give us the option to return, full time, and allow us to make decisions in the best interest of our families.
Regards,
Jane Doe
Parent of two
DJUSD Board,
I’d like to add my voice to the chorus that is unsatisfied with the plans the district has made regarding the reopening of schools. For the past month, I’ve watched as the county sat in the “Red” tier, allowing schools to open, while DJUSD accomplished very little – leading to questions of its readiness and planning to reopen schools at all.
As Covid cases in Yolo continue to climb, and we appear to be on the precipice of returning to the “Purple” tier, I am dismayed. Had the district been better prepared, we could have opened the schools – and would be under no requirement to close them, regardless of the county’s tier, as it appears the state of CA has come to recognize that schools are not the “superspreaders” they were once feared to be. At this point, it appears that the state of CA is acknowledging that schools are a priority, a low risk, and carry an outsized, detrimental effect when closed. In fact, the preponderance of evidence points to such at this point; The NY Times has published a series of articles in the last two days that strongly argue for keeping schools open, citing the growing consensus of experts, the experience and policy of European nations as they struggle with rising Covid cases and the body of evidence that points to schools often being safer than the community at large in regards to transmission.
For DJUSD to be able to open, but to squander the opportunity, is deeply disappointing and raises serious questions about the board’s efficacy.
I urge the board to re-examine their ideas of reopening, and ensure they have a rapidly executable plan for getting kids back in classrooms as soon as the county re-enters the appropriate tier.
A single missed opportunity to reopen is a deep disappointment. A second missed opportunity is an inexcusable failure.
Regards,
Jane Doe
Support AB10 - A Legislative Solution to Reopen our Schools!
Support AB10 - A Legislative Solution to Reopen our Schools!
You can support this important legislation in three ways - all in under 5 minutes!
You can support this important legislation in three ways - all in under 5 minutes!
AB10 was introduced by CA Assemblymember Phil Ting (D - San Francisco), and would require all CA school districts to develop a plan to offer in-person learning options two weeks after their county enters the red tier, in accordance with the state's reopening guidelines. Unfortunately, this would not take effect until March 1st, 2021.
While we disagree with the effective date, as there is no scientific reason for it, we nevertheless support this effort as a sort of 'Fail-Safe', meaning that if DJUSD is not swayed by our advocacy, this legislation could force the issue. You can read the press release for this effort here.
#1 & 2 - Contact your Representatives in the California Assembly and Senate
#1 & 2 - Contact your Representatives in the California Assembly and Senate
We urge our supporters to show their support for AB10, and reopening schools in general, by contacting our district's Assemblymember and Senator. There are templates below for either sparking ideas for your own letter, or for copying and pasting into the forms that the buttons below will take you to.
For Davis and Woodland residents, our State Assembymember is Cecilia M. Aguiar-Curry. You can contact her via an e-mail form using the button, below.
For Davis and Woodland residents, Our State Senator is Bill Dodd. You can contact him via the button below, as well.
For residents of other locations in California, you can find your representatives by clicking here.
If you have time, an email to Governor Gavin Newsom would help, as well!
In general, representatives are aware that it takes more effort to pick up the phone and advocate rather than send an email - which means a phone call carries more weight. If you have a few minutes, please give it a try -
The contact numbers for Assemblymember Cecilia M. Aguiar-Curry are:
Capital office: (916) 319-2004
Davis office: (530) 757-1034
The contact number for Senator Bill Dodd is:
Capital Office: (916) 651-4003
#3 - Sign the Change.org Petition!
#3 - Sign the Change.org Petition!
By clicking on the graphic below, you can sign our Change.org petition directed at CA Governor Gavin Newsom, The CA Assembly and House. It takes less than a minute, and sends a powerful message to elected and appointed officials, as well as the media. This effort was started by the DJUSD Parent Coalition, and is being shared statewide - we expect this to generate a great deal of attention in the coming month!
E-mail Templates / Examples
E-mail Templates / Examples
Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry,
I’m writing to express my concern about the continued closures of schools to in-person instruction in Davis. I have been watching as expert after expert, from Dr. Anthony Fauci to the CDC, WHO and UNICEF, among countless others, have turned against school closures as an effective means of controlling Coronavirus transmission, while also warning against the effects of keeping schools closed.
It appears that we are doing far more harm than good by not implementing a plan to immediately provide an option to return students to campus as soon as state and local conditions allow. This is distressing considering that the reopening experiences of other nations, states and even districts in California have shown time and again that in-person learning is low-risk, and can be done relatively safely.
For the reasons stated above, I strongly support AB10, introduced by Assemblymember Phil Ting. It's unfortunate that it might take legislative action to resolve this issue, but our children and communities deserve all the support they can get!
I urge you to take quick action to resolve this issue. The cost of inaction is high, and grows more so by the day. We cannot afford to fail our children or our community!
Regards,
(Your Name)
Ma’am,
Please help us return our children to classrooms! I am disturbed by the near-steady news now that children are in trouble, and it’s getting worse by the day. At the same time, I’m hearing from more and more experts that schools are low-risk environments for COVID-19, and that they don’t recommend that schools be closed. This has to stop.
I understand why schools were closed at first, but now that there is evidence that they can be opened safely, I don’t see why we continue down a path that puts our kids at a greater risk than the alternative.
Our communities deserve better. Our children deserve better. There is no reason we can’t do this. Please work on our children’s behalf, and get them to provide some in-person learning options as soon as we are allowed to.
Sincerely,
(Your Name)
Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry,
I’d like to take a moment to thank you for your service to our community, our state, and the people who make it up. It’s a difficult task, and we appreciate your service!
I’d also like to highlight the issue of school re-opening, and the glacial pace it is proceeding at. We now know, advised by the WHO, CDC, UNICEF, CA State Health & Human Services Secretary, and even the Yolo County Public Health Officer, that schools can be opened relatively safely, for both students and staff. We also know that continued school closures are having an increasingly negative impact, for both our students and our communities.
In the words of San Jose Mayor Sam Licardo, in a joint statement with the mayors of CA’s 13 biggest cities issued on Oct 15th:
“When the history of this pandemic is written it will reveal that school shutdowns imposed far greater harms to our children than COID-19 ever did – particularly for children from low-income families. The lost years of education, mental and emotional anguish, social isolation, limited access to exercise, play and nutritious food will have impacts that will be felt for a generation, and we need a statewide commitment to get our schools open safely.”
We now know that schools can be opened safely, for both students and staff, and that it does not require excessive effort to do so.
I urge you to take action on what may be considered the biggest blunder of the COVID-19 response – the closure, and slow reopening, of schools. We need our students back in classrooms the moment our state metrics allow it; any delay is unacceptable.
Thank you –
(Your Name)
Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry,
Please help us open our schools! My children are not doing well with distance learning, and I hear a lot of stories just like mine. The emotional toll and the lack of quality education is taking a toll, and I worry for their future. The children need to be in classrooms, and I know it can be done safely.
We can’t keep pretending this is OK. It’s not. Especially when I hear that school districts all over the world have reopened safely, and I see private schools with classrooms full of kids. It’s unfair and it makes me angry that just because my kids are in public schools, they are falling behind.
I have heard of AB10, which would require schools to have a plan to bring students back to school as soon as they are in the red tier. I support this bill, and I want you to support it, too!
Please help us get our kids back in class!
Sincerely,
(Your Name)
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