Guidelines for reopening California schools reportedly includes major changes
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to soon release guidelines for the reopening of schools in the fall that would fundamentally change the daily classroom experience for millions of students and teachers.
The San Francisco Chronicle obtained an early draft of the guidelines, which lay out some of the rules.
They include:
- Installing handwashing stations.
- Forcing students and teachers to stay six feet apart.
- Staggereing school start times.
- Keeping small groups of students together and isolated from the general population throughout the day.
- Eating lunch in classrooms.
- Screening everyone who enters school buildings for coronavirus symptoms, such as fever.
- Requiring teachers to wear masks and encouraging students to do the same.
Newsom, however, did not discuss these guidelines as was expected during his Friday news conference.
In a question-and-answer period, Newsom said there are several school plan drafts "going back and forth," but nothing is finalized. He said his team is working "very closely on final edits" but he did not state when those would be ready.
Instead, he addressed the state by talking about the "structural racism" in the country and told a personal story about how his four children were upset by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Newsom then talked about the number of tests that the state is now conducting, which are now up to 50,000 a day.
Hospitalizations are now holding steady, he said, which is why counties can move forward into phases 2 and 3 if they choose and can "attest" to the state that they are ready and can meet the criteria.
"We bought time," he said.
Despite the heartening news, Newsom said that no county is yet ready to move into Phase 4, when concerts and big conventions can be held.
This story was reported from Oakland, Calif.