Letters to the Editor: Supervised Zoom school? A parent says no thanks to LAUSD’s reopening plan

To the editor: To say I am disgusted by the Los Angeles Unified District’s reopening plan is the understatement of the school year.

Essentially we are asking our kids to go to school, sit in a classroom, wear headphones and be supervised by a teacher instructing via Zoom. There will be almost no interaction with anyone in their 12-student cohort, because they will all be “in” different classes.

How will science classes work? How will any class work with a teacher in the room who isn’t even the students’ teacher?

My 10th-grader howled at this idea and has already said he will not go back because he doesn’t want to wear headphones all day. I don’t blame him one bit.

United Teachers Los Angeles and the school district can surely agree to something better than this. If not, then just call this school year a bust and focus on a better plan for the fall.

Clancy Johannsen, Los Angeles

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To the editor: The state is financially supporting students returning to in-person instruction by implementing safety precautions and in-person educational supports.

As an occupational therapy doctoral student, I am concerned that I have not read anything about supporting virtual education for students ineligible to return to in-person instruction under this plan. The state should provide additional support to all students currently learning online.

During the pandemic, the educational opportunity gap widened for students with limited academic and social-emotional resources, resulting in less learning and cognitive development. These students also experienced negative mental health effects, thereby further widening the gap.

The state should provide more support for districts in which students are learning solely online.

Cheyanne Garcia, Pico Rivera

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To the editor: In North Dakota, our elementary students have been going to school full time every day for the 2020-21 school year. There has been very low transmission of COVID-19 in our schools.

Our children are happy, healthy and learning. Why in the world wouldn’t you more fully open your schools?

Carmen McBride, Jamestown, N.D.