Now that Comirnaty has full FDA approval, doctors can recommend the COVID-19 shot to anyone for “off-label” use, including children under 12. The prospect has pediatricians bracing for impact — and worried that some parents may be jumping the gun to vaccinate kids who have not yet turned 12.
K-12 Education
FDA approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 shot brings temptation to vaccinate kids under 12
Now that Cormirnaty has full FDA approval, doctors can recommend it to anyone for off-label use, including children under age 12. But there are plenty of risks to weigh on both sides of the equation, experts say.
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.
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.”
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.
What impact will the pandemic have on early literacy?
New Leaf Community Markets brand manager Lindsay Gizdich said the store is moving from Pacific Avenue in order to have…
How kids can stay safer at school despite Delta variant threat
Despite the threats posed by the Delta variant — a particular worry for parents of children under age 12, who are too young to be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine — there are ways to enhance kids’ safety at school. Here’s what it will take to protect students.
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.”
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.
Gov. Newsom orders school employees to get vaccinated or be tested regularly
School employees must either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to a regular test proving they are not infected with the coronavirus under an order from Newsom.

