A Marin County teacher who came to school while visibly sick infected a dozen students with the coronavirus, a report released by the CDC says. The teacher, who works at a K-8 elementary school, was one of only two staff members who had not been vaccinated.
K-12 Education
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Quarantined: A new law is disrupting California school reopenings
As classes resume, a new state law governing independent study is worsening staff shortages, threatening school budgets and forcing quarantined students to relive last year’s school shutdowns.
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Racist ‘Shaniqua’ postings show Salinas students stomping on Black doll
An Instagram account that has since been deactivated showcased pictures and videos of a Black baby doll, with some students stomping on it. “Although the district has taken steps to support our African American students and staff,” school officials said in a statement, “this recent incident demonstrates how much more support is needed.”
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Many small districts complain California shorted their funding during the pandemic
Legislators “express sympathy and agree it is not fair, but all I get is platitudes,” one Santa Cruz County educator said of the predicament that has befallen districts that have served students from urban areas who unexpectedly showed up in their schools.
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How schools help students who’ve lost loved ones to COVID
At least 30% of California students surveyed by the ACLU said they’d lost a loved one during the pandemic. “Grief comes in all shapes and sizes, but for everyone, it means that life will forever be changed,” one educator said. “For students experiencing this, just noticing and caring can mean the world.”
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Reading, ’rithmetic and resisting COVID: The new 3 Rs as kids head back to school
Children under 12 can’t get a vaccine, so parents are concerned about how to keep them safe as classes resume — especially as the Delta variant spreads. Kaiser Health News has some answers for parents and guardians trying to navigate the new landscape.
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California’s new vaccine requirement for schools: What you need to know
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday required that all school staff be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to regular testing, making California one of only two states with such a mandate. With the policy set to roll out Thursday, here’s a rundown of how things will look in schools.
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Delta variant is sucking the joy out of back-to-school 2021
Instead of a back-to-normal back-to-school, the coronavirus casts new shadows over the return to full-time, in-person schooling. A particularly troubling issue for parents in Santa Cruz County and beyond is that children under 12 are not yet eligible for a vaccine.
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Confusion over mask mandate for California schools sparks tension between districts and parents
Gov. Gavin Newsom decided to let local school districts decide how to deal with students who refuse to follow California’s mask mandate. Now, parents who don’t want their children to wear masks are showing up at school board meetings to demand their districts disregard the mandate.
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Prioritizing student wellness post-pandemic, more California schools turn to yoga
Educators see stretching and breathing exercises as a way to help students relax and focus as they return to campus. “We’ve laid so much on these kids. They need an outlet where they’re not being judged, where they can learn to pick themselves up,” one teacher said. “Yoga and meditation can help them process difficult emotions.”