Statement on Chancellor Carranza’s School Closures Announcement

Earlier today, Chancellor Carranza announced school closures due to a 3% average of positive COVID test rates.

Our city government had the opportunity to keep the positivity rate below 3% & not trigger school closures. They could have centered wellness, education, and support. Quality education and transparency has been the priority for our families, our students, and our educators during this pandemic. Today’s decision to close schools is a clear indictment of the city government and its failures during one of the most difficult periods in our City’s history.

We’ve seen decades of disinvestment in our public schools and crumbling school infrastructure to the point where teachers are forced to crowdfund for basic supplies. We’ve seen a system that segregates students, reinforces the school to prison pipeline, and abandons limited English proficient students and parents as well as those with learning and physical disabilities. During this pandemic, we’ve seen a devastating failure to provide proactive support to our public schools.

Remote learning devices have not reached the students who need them the most – particularly those in limited English proficient households and lower-income communities. Policy around school reopenings has been developed without consulting and updating teachers, students, and parents. The result is a chaotic and frustrating last-minute rollout of school reopenings earlier this fall and now again, schools closings.

I’m disappointed in our leadership, angry that teachers and young people are being treated this way, and frustrated hearing from parents in my district who are also being treated with disregard. Our city government has failed us and our public education system, despite getting elected on platforms of supporting our schools.

I’m deeply grateful to each and every one of the students, parents, teachers, principals, and school administrators I know. To those of you who are devoting your heart and soul to continuing to educate and learn through this pandemic - I’m here for you and I will always be here for you. And I will continue to invest all my energy to advocate and organize on your behalf.