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LAUSD Surveys Parents On Whether To Allow Children Back In School This Fall Or Stick To Remote Learning

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The Los Angeles Unified School District is polling hundreds of thousands of families asking them what they want the school year to look like come August.

Linda Derian has three children in LAUSD schools and for the last two and a half months, she has juggled her full-time job from home while doing remote learning with her boys.

"We have all been voiceless through this whole time, and I feel like everyone is making decisions but not asking the parents," said Derian.

LAUSD is now conducting a survey of parents asking them for their input on the upcoming school year, beginning with whether they would prefer remote learning, being back on campus full-time, or a hybrid of the two.

Derian voted for a full-time return to the classroom.

"I can speak on behalf of my household that my kids are really healthy and I know they will overcome anything they will get and I don't want to take away that experience of going to school," Derian said.

The survey also asked about safety measures such as social distancing, eating in the classroom versus a cafeteria, having students and staff tested for COVID-19, contact tracing and wearing masks.

"I feel like those are necessary, especially how COVID is spreading," Derian said.

Stephanie Heisler, a mother of three, who voted for a hybrid schedule, is OK with most of the modifications.

"I definitely voted against not having recess outside. I feel like they need that outside time and they could safely distance," Heisler said.

Face masks were a hot button issue for many parents and was one of the reasons Caryn Dobrow has opted to keep her twin boys home next year from sixth grade, no matter what the district decides.

"I am high risk because I am diabetic and asthmatic. My concern is kids not keeping their masks on all day, and I don't want my kids to keep their masks on for six hours a day," she said.

Ron Smith has a child in middle school and his wife is a third-grade teacher in LAUSD.

"I want kids back in school in August," Smith said.

He said he doesn't think parents will agree to the necessary modifications.

"I think that is probably going to be our biggest challenge, the "me" versus the "we" aspect of our society," he said.

In a statement, LAUSD said any plan for reopening schools will combine the input from the experts and the school community, including the unions, families, and their teachers and staff.

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