Orange County Board of Education Puts Children at Risk by Reopening Schools

15Jul
by Leticia Chavez-Garcia

If you live in Orange County and you have children who attend schools there, brace yourself.  The OC County BOE just voted (4-1) to open all schools in the fall as if nothing’s happened, and we’re not in a pandemic. No masks, no social distancing, no accommodations. Just regular back to school in August. What could possibly go wrong? 

I would encourage parents to disenroll their children from this district. They are a selfish and irresponsible bunch. Clearly, they know the risks. The decision to open up the schools and expose all of the students to mass infection was held via Zoom. Some even wore masks from behind the screen. Yes, I see the irony. Do you? 

The silly “White Paper” the BOE adopted said in part that, “Declaring this in the face of widely held misconceptions and mixed messages about Covid-19 – particularly about its lethality and contagiousness to children – requires fact-finding and courage, as we move through these uncertainties together.” So, they deem themselves, “courageous” as they made the decision to open schools.  

Here is the list of factors they considered: 

•K-12 children represent the lowest-risk cohort for Covid-19. Because of that fact, social distancing of children and reduced census classrooms is not necessary and therefore not recommended.

•Requiring children to wear masks during school is not only difficult –if not impossible to implement –but not based on science. It may even be harmful and is therefore not recommended.

•Children play a very minor role in the spread of Covid-19. Teachers and staff are in greater danger of infection from other adults, including parents, than from students in their classrooms.

•Participation in any reopening of public education should be voluntary. These guidelines are not “laws” or “regulations” or even “rules.” Parents, not government officials, are in the best position to determine the education environment that best suits their children. If a school district is unable or unwilling to provide that education, parents should be allowed to send their children to a district or charter school that will provide that education. Some parents with the means will opt for private schools or home schooling.

•Temperature checks should be performed regularly. As with any illness, ill children, teachers, or staff should be sent home and if identified not allowed to be on campus.

•As always, good hygiene with frequent hand washing and the use of hand sanitizer should be encouraged.

•Classrooms, meeting rooms, transportation vehicles (e.g., busses) and administrative offices should be thoroughly cleaned each night.

In the end, they pretty much said that parents who do not agree or like their decision can send their kid somewhere else! Our recommendation is that you do so. Here is a list of online charter schools and their ratings:  

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/online-charter-schools/s/california/

I predict that if the OCBOE follows through on its threat to open schools – students, teachers, and parents will die. The district will be held responsible and be sued for wrongful death. We truly hope someone intervenes before it’s too late.

What do you think?
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Leticia Chavez-Garcia

Leticia Chavez-Garcia is a Mother, Grandmother, former Middle School Teacher, former Member of a School Board of Education and an Education Advocate for hundreds of parents and students in the Inland Empire. Having become a mother at 15, Leticia knows what it’s like to be a single mother trying to navigate the education system. Leticia received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science and Public Administration from California Baptist University and a Masters’ Degree in Education Technology from Cal State Fullerton in her 30’s. Leticia has used her knowledge and experience to help hundreds of families as an Education Advocate in the Inland Empire and currently works as an Education Specialist.

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