LAUSD Closing All Schools Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
As with many schools in Europe and across the nation, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is closing all schools in response to the coronavirus pandemic, per Supt. Austin Beutner.
School officials voted on Friday (Mar 13) to shut down the nation’s second-largest school system effective Monday (Mar 16), lasting at least two weeks. These closings follow concerns over the rapid spread of the novel COVID-19.
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It is said that the district holds about 900 campuses and serves more than 670,000 children and adult students. Additionally, officials say they will be providing 40 centers for students and families to receive services, including meals, starting on Wednesday (Mar 18), and will offer televised and online lessons to help families.
In addition to LAUSD schools, San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) also plans to shut down on Monday.
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A joint statement by LAUSD’s Beautner and SDUSD’s Supt. Paul Gothold, states, “California has now entered a critical new phase in the fight to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is evidence the virus is already present in the communities we serve, and our efforts now must be aimed at preventing its spread. We believe closing the state’s two largest school districts will make an important contribution to this effort.”