LAUSD, School Employees Union Reach Deal, Pledge Return To Campus At 'Safe And Appropriate' Time

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Los Angeles Unified has reached an agreement with a union representing more than 3,000 LAUSD school employees to reopen schools at a yet undetermined date, officials announced Thursday.

In a joint statement from LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner and California School Employees Association (CSEA) Chapter 500 President Letetsia Fox, the union representing office technicians, licensed vocational nurses, library aides, and other clerical and office employees says they are "ready to return when it's safe and appropriate to do so."

The statement also acknowledged the current surge in coronavirus cases, adding they remain "dangerously above" state guidelines for reopening for in-person learning.

"While the overall level of COVID-19 at this time is dangerously above the state guidelines for the possible reopening of schools, Los Angeles Unified and CSEA Chapter 500 are working to prepare for the eventual return of students," the statement said.

It wasn't immediately clear what role if any the statement would play in ongoing negotiations with LAUSD teachers on a potential return to campus.

School-based instructional and childcare programs at LAUSD campuses was suspended as of Thursday for the duration of the fall semester due to the skyrocketing numbers of COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County.

"Because of the extraordinary high level of COVID-19 in the Los Angeles area, it is no longer safe and appropriate to have any students on campus," Beutner said in a statement earlier this week.