Palo Alto Unified Approves Reopening Amid Controversy: Report

PALO ALTO — Amid vocal opposition from parents and teachers, the Palo Alto Unified School District School Board voted unanimously Tuesday night in support of a staggered reopening plan for in-person learning during the ongoing coronavirus crisis, Palo Alto Weekly reports.

The reopening goes into effect Oct. 12, with the district implementing hybrid learning for transitional kindergarten through first-grade students.

Second-and third-graders will return to classrooms Oct. 26 and fourth-and fifth-graders on Nov. 9.

According to the report, parents of transitional kindergarten through first-grade students will have a week to decide whether to commit to a year of the hybrid model or distance learning.

The board’s decision came amid opposition from parents and teachers, who wrote separate open letters urging the Superintendent Don Austin to continue distance learning through the end of the year, citing concerns about teacher safety and the community spread of COVID-19, among others.

Read more at Palo Alto Weekly